The Power of Will
by TheDarkestLight787
Summary: Platinum Victory, a member of the near royal Victory dynasty, is still haunted by the death of his father and being abandoned by his mother when he was young is slowly falling to the dark temptations of the Great Horror, an enemy his family swore to destroy. When Princess Celestia senses this she sends him to Ponyville to be a student of the newly crowned princess Twilight Sparkle.
1. Chapter 1: A History Lesson

Victory opened his eyes. Despite having his eyes wide open, the only thing he saw was darkness...

It was over 1000 years before Twilight Sparkle became a princess, and just before the reign of Princess Celestia and her sister. The God of Darkness ruled the land, yet despite his title, everypony called him the Great Horror. He turned the sun into nothing but a grey disk in the sky, and made the moon completely vanish. The only light left in the sky were the stars, yet the Great Horror stopped their light from getting through by filling the skies with black clouds. The sky was complete blackness. The only light the ponies ever knew was that of dim candles, which they used to see while they worked.

Legions of shadow ponies, ponies born of darkness and evil, enforced the Horror's will. The living ponies were abused, tortured, and massacred in sacrifices to feed the Great Horror.

Yet recently the great one ordered his legions to kill all living ponies, as he thought they had served their usefulness, and knew that once they were dead, he could move to the lands beyond, like the Griffon Kingdom...

Within a day, over half the living ponies were dead, and the remaining were being hunted down.

Princess Celestia had become a beacon of hope for the living ponies. Together she and her sister started a rebellion against the Shadow Empire, as the Great Horror's realm was called. They fought long and hard, yet they made no progress. Slowly, everypony began losing hope, including the sisters...

Except one...

Victory came on the darkest of nights. The two sisters had gone to negotiate surrender, and offered that they would surrender if their lives would be spared, and they could have a plot of land to live on. The Great Horror laughed at this and said that if they surrendered, they would have quick and painless deaths, while if they didn't, he would flense the skin from their bones, pour boiling water onto them, and use other methods of torture to kill them slowly, and painfully...

Victory had been nothing but a simple pegasus blacksmith before he stood up against the Shadow Empire. Victory wasn't even his original name, everyone had forgotten it, yet it didn't matter.

"The brightest of lights can come from the darkest of places..." he said.

The living ponies rallied behind him as he made a plan to finally free them from the darkness...

"Alright Celestia, Luna, you two are to tell him that you will gather all of us in the badlands where we will surrender. Then, we'll ambush their army, and when its all dead, we'll take the armor and weapons and disguise ourselves as shadow ponies. When we have done this we will march back to his castle, and when he enters his sleep, we will reveal ourselves, overrun the castle, and when he wakes up, the three of us will fight together to eliminate him..."

"Victory... you are an inspiration, and all of your plan is genius, except the last part... You truly think we can kill a god?" Luna asked.

"Yes... I do... We'll find a weakness, exploit it, and then find out how to kill him."

"I must agree with my younger sister... We cannot kill a god... We can however, possibly weaken him enough to allow us to escape to a new home..."

"NO! I WILL NOT ABANDON EQUESTRIA!" he yelled.

He took a few deep breaths and said, "Forgive my outburst... But we have nowhere else to go... No one will shelter us, as they fear the wrath of the Great Horror... Equestria is all we have left, and I have no intention of abandoning it. Our ancestors of the three tribes discovered this place, and it served them for the three hundred years before the Shadow Empire invaded. Yet now we must not abandon the work they put into building Equestria! We surrendered to the Shadow Empire when it first invaded after only two days. We spat on them by doing that, and abandoning Equestria now will be stomping on their graves..."

"Why? Why do you shelter so much hatred for the Shadow Empire? We all seek to fight it, yet it was fair until the genocide..."

"NO! It was not fair! They still massacred our people! My family was killed in front of my eyes by them just because they were needed for some cheap sacrifice! My wife, mother, father, and brother, all dead... Everypony has suffered some loss from the Shadow Empire... I say no more... We will make them lose their little castle, and we will crush the Shadow Empire with one blow. If you are with me, then you will trust me..."

The two sisters looked at the other for a few moments.

"Please... we have nothing else..." he said.

"Very well... If we are to die, we'll die with honor. Yet we will take some of the shadow ponies with us..."

* * *

The trap was set. Nearly seven tenths of the entire shadow pony army was marching through the narrow canyons in the badlands to meet the two sisters and the few remaining living ponies to execute them.

Little did they know that the living ponies were on the cliffs overlooking the canyons...

When the time was right they dropped huge rocks, crushing many shadow ponies and trapping them in the canyon.

The shadow ponies that could fly were intercepted by the pegasus ponies and the ones with magic were unable to remove rocks faster than they would fall.

Archers rained arrows upon the shadow ponies, and after three hours, the entire army was dead, with not a single survivor...

"Alright everypony, gather their armor and weapons and get suited up! We have an attack to carry out. Even if we fail, at least we took a hell of alot of these bastards with us!"

They cheered and gathered the supplies, and covered themselves with ash to look black. They put the armor on and put nasty looks on their faces.

"You'll... never get away... with this..." an injured shadow pony said.

Half of him was under a rock, and there was an arrow in his shoulder.

"What makes you think that?" Victory asked walked over and twisting the arrow.

He screamed and then said, "The Great one will kill you slowly... the pain I am going through now will be but a mere fraction of what he will do to you... The darkness will forever live on..." he said taking his final breath.

His head fell and Victory walked off.

* * *

The Great Horror sat upon his throne. His army should be returning any minute now...

The Great one had plans... He would take his rest, and then when he woke, send his entire army to invade the Griffon Kingdom... Soon the entire world would be his...

A shadow pony ran in and said, "Great one... the army has arrived... They seem battered..."

The God took the form of an Alicorn and walked out to meet them.

The other shadow pony had been right, they were battered. Many had dented armor and many were bruised, he also noted quite a few were missing...

"Where are the rest of you?" he demanded.

Victory walked up and said, "Great one... we were ambushed and took many losses... However I suspected an ambush in those narrow canyons, so I had a two large groups lurking on the cliffs outside the living ponies sight, and when they ambushed us the two groups pressed against them. Most died from falling into the canyon, the rest died from battle. Not a single one survived... However our own losses were heavy..."

A grin crossed the Horror's face. "Very good," he said, "Create more shadow ponies. When I wake from my rest, we will strike the Griffon Kingdom..." he walked off...

Victory ordered all the real shadow ponies to gather in the courtyard, where he had his forces surround and massacre them, and begin burning the castle to the ground.

The shadow ponies were confused and panicked. They were easily dispatched and with the Great Horror in rest, there was nothing that could save them...

* * *

After a week passed, the Great Horror woke to find his castle a smoldering ruin...

"WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS!" He demanded.

Victory and the two sisters walked up to him and Victory said, "You have lost Great one..."

"YOU! YOU TRICKED ME!"

"Leave Equestria, and never come back!"

"NEVER! I WILL KILL YOU ALL... MYSELF!"

He turned into his Alicorn form and blasted where they were standing with a powerful beam of magic.

The three scattered and the two sisters began using magic to try and combat him, while Victory used physical strength to distract him.

The god threw Victory to the side and blasted Celestia with a powerful beam of magic.

He charged Luna and threw her into a pillar and blasted a beam of magic at her.

Luna reacted fast enough and blasted her own beam at him, however she was weaker than the god. The beam slowly began moving towards her and she stopped using hers and got hit head on.

However before she did, she used a spell she had been practicing for a very long time on him.

Both of them froze for a few seconds, and then Victory rammed himself into the Horror, snapping both of them out of the trance.

"Sister, are you alright?" Celestia asked.

"I... I think I am... I feel... different... but we must assist Victory," she said getting up.

Victory was thrown to the side and the two sisters were hit by a powerful beam of magic.

The two sisters lay on the ground, to beat up to get up, and Victory struggled to stand.

"Pathetic... saviors of Equestria? HA! You should have just surrendered... now you die..."

"No... I won't... allow it..." Victory said standing up.

"Oh please... what can you do? Look at yourself... pathetic... You believe in the light, and that it will guide you to victory, you were even foolish enough to change your name to Victory! You are nothing but a pony will be defeated..."

A magic ring formed around Victory's neck and the Horror was shocked.

"Your a pegasus! How are you using magic?!"

"Magic? What?" he looked down and saw the ring as it formed a silver necklace with a diamond gem in the shape of two crossed swords implanted in it.

"What is this..." he said to himself...

Suddenly the diamond began glowing and Victory's body was consumed by light. His coat glew the white it was colored, his cutie mark was emphasized by light, his purple mane and tail began glowing too and had a fire like quality to them, and his green eyes were nothing but a green blur.

"I feel... empowered..." he said.

"It changes nothing! I am still a god! You cannot stop me!" the Horror said obviously becoming nervous.

"We'll see..." he said as he blasted forward into the god.

The two were evenly matched, however Victory was gaining a slight edge, and as time passed the edge grew until the god was in trouble.

"This can't be happening! I WON'T ALLOW YOU TO DEFEAT ME YOU MORTAL PONY!" the Horror yelled.

The two sisters watched in awe at the battle between the two powers, praying that the god couldn't turn things around...

Victory blasted a beam of energy from the necklace that hit the Horror head on.

"I can't kill you..." Victory said.

"You... finally admit... it..." the Horror said breathing heavily.

"But I can do this..." He enshrouded the Horror with a white energy that blocked him from sight and then crashed into him.

He scream and then fell to his knees and said, "What... what have you done to me..."

"This castle will be your prison, for all eternity... You will never be able to leave. The remnant of your army is running beyond the frozen north, and that is where this castle is going."

"You can't move this castle..."

"You underestimate what I can do with this power..."

He walked over to the two sisters and said, "Can you stand?"

"Yes..." they both replied.

"Then we must leave. Get everypony out. We don't want them going to where this castle is going..."

"NO! YOU WILL NOT DO THIS TO ME! I AM A GOD!" the Horror yelled.

Victory turned around and smashed into the Horror, and then threw him into a pillar where he fell and lay on the ground.

Everypony left the castle and Victory turned to look at it, and it was shrouded with a white light, which caused everypony to cover their eyes from how bright it was, and suddenly, the castle was gone.

He was then lifted into the air and the brightness left him and filled the skies. The clouds were made white again, the sun became yellow and the sky changed from black to the blue it was before.

Everypony had to cover their eyes, as they were unused to the amount of light the sun gave.

Victory's body had turned back to normal, and he fell to the ground unconscious.

The two sisters ran to him and Luna said, "He's alright, but what he did... how did he do it? Not even we could do such a thing sister..."

"I... I do not know... but I have a feeling this necklace he is wearing had something to do with it..."

* * *

Victory opened his eyes once again, and this time, there was light.

He sat up in bed and saw the necklace still around his neck. He took it off and Luna, who sat nearby said, "Apparently only you can take it off, all of us tried already..."

"What is it?" Celestia asked.

"I... I do not know..."

"Then what shall we call it?"

"The Power of Victory..."

He got out of bed and asked, "How fares Equestria?"

"Despite being leaderless, it is flourishing now that the Shadow Empire has been pushed back to the north..."

"Why is it leaderless?"

"We were waiting for you to awaken, so you could lead it..."

"I'm sorry, but I will not be leading Equestria..."

"And why not?"

"What happens when I'm dead? Who leads then?"

"We have the magic to make you immortal..."

"I will not be an immortal... with the power I have gained, being immortal might put greed into my heart, and making me king of Equestria would never work..."

"Then who shall lead?"

"You two... You are immortal, and can be very competent leaders..."

"And what of you?"

"I'll be a defender of Equestria... Nothing more... nothing less..."

"But what about when you die?"

"Then my children shall take my place, and their children... My family will take Victory in it's name, and then part of the other parents name..."

"You would force your children to defend Equestria from the dangers of the world?"

"I will train my child, and he or she will train theirs... It will continue forever..."

"We will need a capital city for Equestria..."

"Make it at the mountain the Horror's castle was once on... It will show that the darkness has been completely removed..."

"We have one last thing to say... We found a diamond type crystal on the mountain after the castle disappeared. Apparently it had been covering it..."

"What does it change?"

"Your necklace... it glows when it is near it..."

"I will investigate it later... I sense there is something else you want to say?"

"Yes... when my sister used the spell on the Horror, it connected them in a sense. Their minds are one. He can hear her thoughts, and she can hear his..."

"That could be a valuable weapon..."

As he said that a pegasus nurse walked in and then said, "Oh sorry, am I interrupting?"

"No... you aren't... stay actually..."

"Umm... alright I guess, is there anything you need?"

"Just a friendly face..."

"We will be going..." Luna said.

She and her sister walked out of the room.

* * *

Victory married that same nurse, whose name was Frozen Earth, and they had a colt whom they named Frozen Victory. Victory himself died shortly after Princess Celestia and Luna used the Elements of Harmony to defeat Discord to a disease.

When Frozen Victory got his cutie mark, two crossed swords behind a glacier, he a necklace that was almost the exact same as his fathers, except the crystal showed his cutie mark instead of his fathers, and it was called the Power of Rage...

Frozen Victory helped the Princess defeat a corrupt king named King Sombra, who ruled the Crystal Empire, and died shortly after, leaving behind filly a named Victorymoon.

The Horror had deceived Luna into betraying her sister and Victorymoon, who had a deep connection with Princess Luna, and did not know that she had been deceived, fought alongside her.

Both were defeated by the Elements of Harmony. Princess Luna was trapped on the moon and Victorymoon died.

Princess Celestia took her son and raised him herself. She knew that the Horror would get stronger, and began having each member of the Victory Dynasty go on a Victory Crusade, which was a one year journey to the lands beyond the frozen north to battle the Great Horror and weaken him.

Few Victory's returned, however before they left they were forced to have a child to ensure the Victory dynasty wouldn't die off.

Years passed until the 28th Victory, named Cloud Victory, went on his Victory Crusade. He came back before the year was over, however when he came back, he returned with an army of shadow ponies.

The Great Horror had learned that the best way to defeat your enemy, was to get their greatest warrior on your side. He had corrupted Cloud Victory's very soul and had him lead his armies, as the Horror was unable to himself due to the curse the original Victory put on him.

Princess Celestia barely defeated him with the Elements of Harmony, and killed his entire family, save his daughter, whom she let live to continue the Victory family. She had come very close to killing her, knowing that now the family could become corrupted.

She promised the world that if another Victory became corrupted she would kill the entire family.

The son of that same Victory whom Celestia had spared became the most powerful Victory to ever exist, even more powerful than the original. His name was Dark Victory. His power amulet gave him the Power of Strength, which served him until he went on his Victory Crusade.

He broke the family tradition and went on it before he had a child, which put the entire family line at risk. However he returned alive, yet not unscarred. His power had been depleted to only half of what it once was.

He broke tradition again when he married a unicorn. Up until then all Victory's and their spouses had been pegasi to preserve the power of flight. Dark Victory's wife was named Platinum Heart, and their son, who ended up as a Pegasus was named Platinum Victory. His cutie mark was two crossed swords behind a shield, and he had gained the power amulet named the Power of Will.

His mother abandoned him when he was young and his father died trying to protect him shortly after. He grew up on the streets of Cloudsdale for a few months until he left for Vanhoover, where he began a new life living with his friends and growing into the Victory he was meant to be...


	2. Chapter 2: Platinum Victory

Platinum Victory opened his eyes to the morning light. Mornings in Canterlot were always the same. Get up, brush his teeth, take a shower, comb his hair, and then go on ridiculous quests to save Equestria from monsters. The monsters that were the upper class unicorns of Canterlot.

Ever since Princess Celestia had forced him to move to Canterlot a little over a year ago, Platinum's life has been going down hill. He is accomplishing less than he should, he's a Victory, he should be doing great and important things, not pleasing those with lots of money with races and wrestling.

The rich ponies had the audacity to call him a brute, yet paid huge amounts of money to watch him do what he does. Platinum hated how the stupid ones could get to the top.

He got out of bed and did his morning routine. He looked at himself in the mirror, combed back his white mane and smoothed his dark blue coat.

"I truly am dashing aren't I? Now all I need is a mare who matches me..." he said to himself.

He had a girlfriend before. He had countless amounts. Yet after about a week they stopped interesting him. He didn't care much for their sad emotions when he left. They spread hate out to the other mares of Canterlot about him, yet they still come running to him like ants to a fallen sandwich.

One of them had been different. That one was Princess Celestia herself. At first she thought that he was the Victory that would finally kill the Great Horror and bring light back to the world. She requested him move to Canterlot so she could tutor him so he could be as powerful as possible before his Victory Crusade.

He had fallen for her, and he thought she had for him. They never admitted it, yet it was obvious. Yet as time passed their daily sessions changed to weekly, and then monthly, and now it was only when ever she requested his presence.

She called him arrogant, rude, in need of anger management, and disrespectful. She always brought up the same Twilight Sparkle pony, and Platinum couldn't stand it. She said that she and her friends were doing so many wonderful things, and that they had saved Equestria multiple times.

Platinum sneered at that. Sure they had, he would admit that, yet they were nothing compared to him. And what disgusted him the most was that this same Twilight Sparkle pony became a princess for discovering the "Magic of Friendship". He laughed at that. Magic of Friendship? The Princess claims she discovered it, yet Platinum knew about it almost his whole life, and the same goes with countless other ponies. Yet apparently the difference was was that she had magic.

Platinum was a pegasus, magic didn't work with him, and he also despised who put their strength in it. He put his own strength in his will power, which was symbolized by his power amulet being called the Power of Will.

Platinum walked outside and nodded to each guard he saw while walking through town. Now the royal guard were ponies he respected. They risked their lives against forces they couldn't hope to match alone. Yet they had the courage to fight, and when they worked together, and with Platinum, they were nearly unbreakable.

"Oh hello Platinum..." a random mare said while walking past him.

"I'm sorry... but do I know you?"

"Oh I don't think you do... but I know you..."

"Of course you do... Tell me what it is you want?"

"Oh nothing..."

"I don't appreciate being lied to..."

"Your a smart stallion. Use that dashing brain and figure it out," she winked.

"I'm sorry, I'm not interested," he said walking off.

"Well! Fine then! I'm so telling my friends about how rude you are!"

"Go ahead," he said softly, "They will still come running to me."

His day was typical. He went to the races and mopped the floor with the competitors. This time it had been the Wonderbolts, and by the time they were halfway through the race track he was already done.

He began his short journey home and found a royal guard waiting for him.

"Hello sir," the guard said, "I have a letter from the Princess..."

"Which one?"

"Princess Celestia. Sir."

He groaned. He was praying it was going to be Princess Luna. They had become good friends after she returned. She was a second mentor of his. He questioned his need for two mentors, yet knew that if he questioned Celestia about it she would force him to only see her, and that meant he would get nothing done.

"Thank you for your time," Platinum said.

He walked into his home and read the letter, "Dear Platinum Victory," he said outloud, "I would like you to meet me on the watch post over looking Canterlot. Come immedietly. Princess Celestia."

He put the letter down and flew up the mountain and found Princess Celestia waiting. The watch post was nothing but a platform with a fence, a bench, and a light post on it.

Platinum landed and didn't bother to bow, instead he asked, "What is it this time?"

"Hello to you too Platinum Victory... sit down..." Platinum sat down and she continued, "Do you know who built this watch post?"

"I did," Platinum replied.

"Tell me, why did you build it?"

"I built it as a gift to you, because at the time I had fallen in love with you, and I thought you had fallen for me..."

She stared at him for a few moments and she said, "I had, yet you became arrogant and..." she started.

"Don't even start with that. I hear it every damn time I'm with you."

"Yet apparently that isn't enough to get it through your head."

"Just tell me why I'm here!"

"Very well... I have realize I cannot teach you anything more..."

"So what my only tutor will be your sister now?"

"On the contrary... instead of seeing me, you will see an old student of mine. Twilight Sparkle."

"You're joking right? What can I learn from her? I already know all about friendship, I have my two best friends living in Vanhoover whom you forced me to leave to come here!"

"It will not be about friendship, it will be about something else entirely."

"So you expect me to fly back and forth every day between here and Ponyville? I can do it but it will take time."

"I will not have you fly. You will take the train."

"Every day?"

"No. You are going to live in Ponyville..."

"You mean... I can leave this damned city with it's damned inhabitants?"

"Yes..."

"Thank you Princess! Thank you! When am I going?"

"Your train will take you tommorrow morning, I will sent a note to Twilight Sparkle telling her of your arrival. You may go now."

Platinum flew down the mountain to his home to pack his possessions.


	3. Chapter 3: A New Assignment

Twilight Sparkle finally had a break. Ever since she became a princess she had many new responsibilities which took up almost all of her time.

"Twilight! Twilight I've been looking everywhere for you!" Spike yelled running in.

"What is it now Spike?"

"Princess Celestia sent you a letter like an hour ago!"

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?!"

"I couldn't find you!"

She used her magic to lift the letter in front of her face and began reading it, "Dear Twilight Sparkle... I have a new task for you. I hate to add on to your new duties yet this one is very urgent and risks the safety of Equestria. I am sending a pegasus to be your student. You might recognize his name and where he comes from from your history books. His name is Platinum Victory. I fear him becoming corrupted by the Great Horror and despite my best attempts to try to make him see differently I fear I only made it worse. You must succeed in this task. If he falls to corruption, I do not think I have the power in me to stop another Victory... His train should be arriving around 1:30. Sincerely, Princess Celestia."

"Platinum Victory? Isn't that some professional athlete in Canterlot? I think I remember seeing him in a race while we were there," Spike said.

"He isn't just some athlete, his family is legendary. They've protected Equestria from evils that Princess Celestia couldn't even stop. Yet if the Princesses fears become reality, and he becomes corrupted... I don't want to even think about what will happen..."

"It can't be that bad, I mean you stopped Discord, Nightmare Moon, and even that King Sombra guy. How will he be any different?"

"He would lead an army of shadow ponies into Equestria, expanding the Shadow Empire from beyond the north to the south... and the curse the original Victory put on the Great Horror over a thousand years ago can be broken if he destroyed the crystal that they found under the castle!"

"Whats the big deal about this "Great Horror"? He can't be that bad."

"He's the biggest threat to Equestria, no the whole world! If he was freed we would be forever in eternal darkness! Quick! Tell the others to meet me at the train station!"

She ran out to get to the station as fast as possible.

* * *

She sat on a bench waiting for her friends to arrive.

"What if he's already corrupted?" she asked herself. She thought about for a few seconds, then stopped as she realized that she didn't want to know.

"Twilight, what's this here all about?" Applejack said as she and the rest of Twilight's friends walked over.

"The Princess gave me a very important task."

"Then why don't you do it? I don't see why you need us," Rainbowdash said.

"Oh! Maybe she has to throw a party!" Pinkie shouted.

"No... I have a student..."

"I still don't see why you need us to be here when this pony is your student," Rarity said.

"Well thats the thing, I'm not sure if I can help this pony..."

"Well Twilight... who is it?" Fluttershy asked.

"He's Platinum Victory."

"What?!" They all said in unison.

"You mean that super dashing muscular hunk of a stallion?" Rarity said.

"The best athlete in Equestria! I mean... second. Cause thats me on top," Rainbowdash said.

"Yes. The Platinum Victory that we all know about."

"I'm sorry, but who is this Platinum Victory?"

"How do you not know Platinum Victory?!" Rainbowdash exclaimed.

"Well he sure can't be that important..."

"He's perhaps one of the most important ponies in Equestria..." Twilight said.

"And what makes him so big and fancy?"

"Well he's a member of a family who..."

"Yup, just another pony who inherited everything. While ponies like me have to work to get what we got."

"Actually... he's saved Equestria more than we have..."

"Then why haven't I heard of em?"

"Because it's expected, so when he does it isn't really news..."

"P...Pl..Platinum Victory... is coming here?" Fluttershy stuttered.

"I'm pretty sure we already had that established."

"Oh no, he can't come here..."

"Why not? He was ordered by the Princess to come here..."

"Because... he's a big ticket pony! He wouldn't come to a little pony town..."

"Actually he grew up in Vanhoover. That's a "little pony" town."

"But he... I... umm..."

"What seems to be the matter Fluttershy?" Rarity asked.

"Yeah, you normally don't get like this just because we mention someone. You only do it when you actually meet them..." Twilight added.

"Oh no reason..."

"Fluttershy... what aren't you telling us?"

Just before she could say anything the train carrying Platinum Victory rolled into the station.

"Alright everypony, take a car, if you see him bring him to the rest of us."

Fluttershy ran to the coach car, "Alright Fluttershy, there is no way he's in this car, he's probably in first class..."

She watched the door and when she saw a dark blue pony with a white mane and tail walk out, she nearly fainted.

He looked at a picture and looked around until he saw Fluttershy. He walked over, took a look at the picture again and said, "So you're umm... Fluttershy? The Princess said you would know where Twilight Sparkle is..."

She tried to say something yet kept stuttering.

"Umm... what?"

"I... I..." she gave a high pitched whine.

"Well... umm... I don't even know what to think about that..." he said walking off.

Her friends walked over and Twilight said, "None of us could find him, did you?"

"Yes..."

"Where is he then?"

"He left..."

"You couldn't speak to him could you?"

"I... I couldn't..."

"Great! Just great! Now we have to go searching all over Ponyville for him!" Rainbowdash said.

"Actually no..." he said walking over.

"You're Platinum Victory?" Twilight asked.

"Yes... I am."

Fluttershy hid behind Rarity and Platinum said, "What's her problem?"

"She is rather... shy... she is like this quite a lot," Rarity said.

"Well... I suppose you all know who I am... but I will introduce myself anyway... I am Platinum Victory. 31st member of the Victory family, and bearer of the Power of Will..."

"We don't need all the titles..." Twilight said.

"Of course you don't... anyway I need a place to stay, so if you don't mind I will go find somewhere..." he said walking off.

"So what did the Princess say he needed help with?"

"She fears he might become corrupted by the Great Horror..."

"No way! He couldn't be corrupted!" Rainbowdash said.

"If he were to become corrupted... who knows what would happen to Equestria!" Rarity exclaimed.

"Uhh. What does this corruption do? And what's this Great Horror thing y'all are talkin about," Applejack asked.

"You don't know what the Great Horror is? That's just... sad..." Rainbowdash said.

"A Great Horror! Where!" Pinkie exclaimed.

"Well, the Great Horror was, and currently still is the biggest threat to the whole world. Over a thousand years ago, the first Victory imprisoned him within his castle which is now in the lands beyond the arctic north."

"If this Great Horror is imprisoned, why is he such a darn threat?"

"Because the Great Horror is only his nickname. His title is the god of darkness..."

"So this Great Horror is a god? Doesn't that mean he can just destroy Equestria with a blink?"

"No. Unlike the gods religious ponies think about, this one isn't perfect. He's actually just an alicorn who is immortal and has nearly unstoppable magic..."

"So he's like Princess Celestia?"

"In a sense. Just more powerful."

"But he's still locked up, how can he do anything?"

"He has armies of shadow ponies."

" You mean, he makes the shadow ponies!?"

"Yes, he does."

"Darn... maybe this Victory fella isn't as bad as I thought..."

* * *

Platinum Victory searched around the outskirts of town. Although he could easily buy quite a nice house in the center of town he knew that it attracted too much attention, and he was tired of fans who chased him everywhere. The only place this hadn't happened was in Vanhoover. They respected him for who he was, yet didn't go insane for him.

He found and abandoned mine and said to himself, "This will be perfect..."

He tore the old boards that were covering the entrance off and walked in.

It was very dark, yet Platinum would solve that problem.

He went to an old candle store and bought dozens upon dozens of candles.

He brought in his building supplies and began to get to work.

He made carvings into the wall and put the candles into them. He began lighting the candles and made a mental map of the mine that wasn't caved in.

It was caved in a while in, yet he could make out about four areas that could count as rooms.

One was connected to another in the west wing, the third was in the east wing and the fourth was smaller than the rest and was near the center.

He decided to make the separate one the living room/kitchen and the one in the middle the bathroom. He made the outer room in the west wing his bedroom. He went to work on making a hidden wall to cover the fourth room deciding it would be his storage room for his money and other valuables.

After five hours he was done working and looked around.

"I could be a professional builder..." he had done good work so far, yet it was merely making a hidden door and carving out parts of the wall for candles. He would finish later as for now he had to go find those six ponies he had met earlier.

* * *

"Twilight, don't be so tense darling..." Rarity said.

"How can I not be? The fate of Equestria may lay in my hooves! If Platinum Victory is corrupted then Princess Celestia might not even be able to stop him!"

"Oh he couldn't be corrupted... He is a strong willed pony after all... If I am correct corruption is forced on someone until they eventually submit to it? He has the Power of Will after all... I doubt he would just give in to it that easily..."

"Rarity... when did you like acting wise?"

"Oh I've done my research on Platinum Victory of course... a stallion like that deserves only perfection! Like me for example... Wouldn't we be perfect together?"

Everyone else groaned except Fluttershy, who began looking nervous.

"You know the Victory family only marries pegasus..."

"His father married a unicorn! Platinum Victory could do the same!"

"Why would he want to marry you? You would probably bore him like all those other fancy Canterlot mares," Rainbowdash said.

"What? And you think he would like you?"

"I wouldn't care if he does or doesn't. Sure he's a good athlete but you know me, thats not what I do..."

"Well I wouldn't bore him!"

"Everypony knows that he gets bored easily with most mares that are almost exactly like you!"

"Well! If you think that I will have to prove you wrong then!"

"Go on, go get him and tell him how you feel and everything you know so he thinks you're a crazed stalker..."

"Oh you're going to make me mad so I mess up! I see how it is... Well I won't fall for that trick!"

"Why are you arguing about this? We have no need for this to be some huge confrontation!" Twilight yelled.

"You're right Twilight, I was being highly uncivilized," Rarity said.

A few moments later Platinum was seen running from a mob of "fans".

"Not again!" He yelled.

"He battles some of the most dangerous creatures on the planet, yet he can't stand up to ponies that are obsessed with him..." Twilight said.

"Shouldn't we help him?"

"Yes. We will, let's go everypony..."

He tried to fly away yet a pack of pegasi blocked the path. He landed again and kept running.

Twilight and the rest of the group ran next to him and he said, "Are you chasing me now?"

"No, we're trying to help you!"

"And how do you expect to do that?!"

Twilight's horn began glowing and the group was teleported into the library.

"Block the doors! Cover the windows! They can't get in!" Platinum yelled obviously nervous.

"Scared of a pack of mares?" Twilight said.

"Its the talking... they never shut up, they always want to talk about me and how perfect they would be with me... I'm tired of these "fancy" mares who think that it's their birthright to be with me!"

As he said that Rarity looked shocked and began slowly moving away.

"But I do thank you for saving me from that."

"It was nothing, but we should get to our lessons soon!"

"Of course we should... Let us get on with it..."


	4. Chapter 4: Dragons

Platinum was bored. All he heard was blah blah blah. Twilight wasn't exactly a good tutor.

He began to doze off until he fell off his chair.

"Huh? What?" he said just waking up.

"You have to avoid falling asleep. It's rude, and you can't learn anything that way..." Twilight said.

"I'm not rude...

"Could have fooled me."

"Alright that's it! I am tired of ponies insulting me!"

"I wasn't insulting..."

"QUIET! YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER ME!"

"I'm a princess..."

"Do you think I care? Do you really think I do? I know why Celestia sent me here. She thinks I'm becoming corrupted by the Great Horror! She has absolutely no faith in me! Apparently you don't either!"

"But..."

"I just don't care anymore..." he said walking off.

Twilight felt so helpless as he stormed out the door.

* * *

Twilight sat crying while her friends tried to comfort her.

"I failed on the first day... He's going to fall to corruption... why was I so stupid?"

"You aren't stupid Twilight. Everyone knows that Platinum Victory has anger issues... He'll cool down," Rarity said.

"Rarity... you are such a stalker..." Rainbowdash said.

"I am not! I just know almost everything about him!"

"I don't even know what to say to that..."

"Hey both of you! Stop all your talkin, Twilight's feelin down right now..." Applejack said.

* * *

Dasolrog watched the town of Ponyville from his mountain top. It was far away, yet he could get to it quickly.

Dasolrog was a dragon, a brother of Razgal, the most powerful of all dragons in the world. Dasolrog was second, yet unlike how most would be in his position he was happy with where he was. He respected his brother; he had fought hundreds of other dragons to get to where he was.

Dasolrog was not like his brother in many ways though. Razgal actually killed ponies. Dasolrog could not find it in him to take lives. Instead he took slaves, whom he gave to his brother to have as servants.

Dasolrog would kill one pony if he had the chance to however...

Platinum Victory was a threat to his kind. He had killed many dragons before and there wasn't a single dragon who didn't want him dead.

Dasolrog picked up a gigantic cage which was half his size and began flying to Ponyville.

He arrived at the time he had planned and made a ring of fire around the town to prevent the unicorns and earth ponies from escaping.

He had twelve tentacles on his back which he used to pick up the ponies and throw in the cage. He had them target the pegasus as they could fly over the flames.

He watched as the cage began filling up and he began becoming eager to bring them to his brother. His brother would be proud of him as any brother would.

* * *

The six ran out of the library and watched the town burn. Ponies were panicking and running every which way.

A dragon stood in the center of town with his tentacles grabbing the ponies and throwing them into a large cage.

"We have to do something!" Rainbowdash said.

"All this ash is getting all over me!" Rarity complained.

"We got a giant dragon attacking town and you care about the ash?" Applejack asked.

"D... dd... dragons..." Fluttershy whined.

A tentacle grabbed Pinkie Pie and threw her into the cage; the next one to be taken was Rarity.

Fluttershy tried to fly away yet another tentacle grabbed her.

"What are we gonna do!" Rainbowdash yelled.

As she said that she was taken by a tentacle and thrown into the cage.

"I... I don't think we can do anything..." Twilight said.

"Twilight! You're a princess! You can't just abandon your people! We need a leader!"

Applejack was taken by a tentacle and Twilight stood alone before the dragon.

"Princess... oh my brother will reward me greatly for getting you..." the dragon said.

Twilight was frozen and the dragon had a tentacle pick her up and throw her into the cage.

* * *

Platinum Victory knew what was happening, and sat in his bedroom.

"Platinum! Come on we need you!" Spike kept begging.

"I'm not going to stop that thing while it's in Ponyville..." he replied.

"But you have too!"

"I don't have to do anything..."

"So you're just going to let it kidnap everypony?!"

"Yes..."

"You're supposed to protect Equestria! We need your help now! Please!"

"I told you I won't do it now. But I didn't say I wouldn't later."

"They might be dead later!"

"I know who this dragon is, and I know who his brother is too. I know exactly what will happen if I go out there..."

"So you're scared... you talk so big yet don't do anything."

"You don't even know my plan do you?"

"Plan? You mean you hiding in this mine while everypony else gets killed?"

"I already said I know this dragon, and I know he doesn't kill. There is only one pony he wants dead. Me."

"So you're just going to sit here..."

"I will. However... when he leaves Ponyville and flies back to his cave, we will give chase."

"Why don't you stop him now?"

"Do you know how many ponies will be caught in the middle? Dozens will die... So when we follow him, I want you to sneak around him and free the prisoners while I distract him..."

"Maybe you aren't as selfish as I thought..."

They waited a few moments looking out the door window until the dragon was gone and Platinum put Spike on his back and said, "Hold on, letting go will not be good for you..."

Spike held onto his mane as Platinum flew after the dragon.

Platinum quickly broke the sound barrier and saw the dragon.

The ponies in the cage also saw him and began cheering.

"No you fools!" he yelled.

The dragon noticed the cheering and looked behind him. When he saw Platinum he began shooting random balls of fire at Platinum in hopes he would hit him.

"I really hope you don't have butter fingers..." Platinum said.

He began doing all sorts of twists and turns and loops to dodge the fire balls. As Platinum got closer the dragon began using its tentacles to try and grab Platinum.

Platinum has experienced tentacles like these on dragons before, and dodging them was easy, yet dodging both the tentacles and the fire balls began getting difficult.

"Damn it I forgot something before we left!" Platinum said.

"What could you forget that is so important!?" Spike yelled.

"I forgot my power amulet!"

"I thought it only works once in your life time!"

"That's a special stage, while I wear it however it increases the power of the connected Victory to 150 percent of the normal output!"

"Why would you forget something like that in a time like this?!"

"Time was of the essence... I guess I'll have to do without it... this will be great..."

The dragon reached the mountain and crawled into his cave. Platinum landed behind a rock and put Spike down.

"Alright, when he comes out, I want you to run in, and open the cage letting the ponies out. I'll fight this dragon..."

"Are you sure you can take a dragon like that?"

"I'm Platinum Victory... If I can't... then no pony can..."

The dragon crawled out of the cave and Platinum flew out from behind the rock.

"Platinum Victory... my brother will be so pleased when I bring him your lifeless corpse..."

"The only corpse Razgal is gonna get is yours..."

Spike began his run for the cave while the dragon charged Platinum.

* * *

Everypony was crushed against the other in the cage. Twilight and her friends were in the middle of it.

"All these ponies are filthy and covered in ash! It's ruining my beautiful mane! And it's so hot! Everypony is sweating and it's disgusting!" Rarity complained.

"Rarity stop your whining," Rainbowdash said.

"Rainbowdash how can you be calm in a time like this! We were kidnapped by a giant dragon! He might eat us, torcher us! Who knows?!"

"Won't Platinum Victory help us?" Fluttershy asked.

"I... I don't think so..." Twilight said, "I don't think he cares..."

"Why wouldn't he care?"

"He doesn't respect anypony but himself, and he only watches out for himself. I wouldn't be surprised if he was corrupted already..."

"He couldn't be! He couldn't..."

* * *

Spike ran as fast as he could, but he was on two legs and they were short, and Spike wasn't exactly the best runner.

He reached the cave and used his claw to pick the lock.

The lock fell off and the door swung open. Hundreds of ponies began running out. He tried to look through the crowd to find his friends, and after a few moments he saw them run over to him.

"Spike! How did you get here?! There is a giant dragon just outside!" Twilight asked.

"Platinum Victory came! We made a plan for him to distract it while I come in and free all of you!"

"Platinum actually came?"

"I knew he would," Fluttershy said.

They ran out of the cave and saw Platinum battling the dragon. He flew around with the dragons tentacles coming at him from multiple directions.

He dodged each as it came they came at him like spears. They began chasing him, yet Platinum had a plan. He flew circles around them and eventually all the tentacles were tied together.

"That's a horrible double knot; did your mommy ever teach you to tie your shoes? Oh yeah I forgot, dragons abandon their children when they are very young…"

"Shut up pony!" he his tail at him yet Platinum easily dodged it.

"Oh did I make you mad? Oh I'm sorry… I didn't mean to hurt your feelings…"

The dragon began breathing fire at him, yet Platinum was too fast for him.

"I think when I'm done with you… I'll pay your brother a visit and maybe kill him too…"

"YOU WON'T TOUCH MY BROTHER!" he swung his arm at him yet Platinum dodged and began laughing.

Yet it was cut short when a tail hit him from the other side.

Platinum crashed into the mountain side and Dasolrog picked him up and began squeezing his claws into him.

"Not laughing now are you? No big talk?"

Platinum tried to break free of the grip yet the dragon threw him to the ground and stomped on him. A loud crack could be heard and Platinum began screaming in pain.

"Oh did I hurt little Platinum Victory? Oh is the baby going to cry?"

Platinum could barely stand, yet Dasolrog kicked him away and he landed right in front of the mane six.

"We have to help him!" Rainbowdash said.

"How can we stop that dragon?! If he can't then no pony can!" Spike said.

"Spike… together, we can overcome any obstacle," Twilight said.

"Now that's the Twilight I do know!" Applejack said.

"Alright, Rainbowdash, fly up and go after his head, Pinkie Pie, Rarity you two need to distract him, Applejack and I will try to get him off his legs."

"What about me?" Fluttershy asked.

"You need to help Platinum, he looks horribly injured. He needs help."

"Why do I have to do it..?"

"You've helped animals who are injured; surely you can help a pony. Now come on time is short!" The other five ran at the dragon and Fluttershy dragged Platinum to a rock and laid him against it.

He moaned in main and slowly opened his eyes.

"Are you alright?" Fluttershy asked.

"So now you talk?" Platinum asked.

"Oh I umm…"

"Please, keep talking; your voice is enchanting…"

"Oh, well I… You just need to stay here."

As she said that Twilight and the other four were thrown into a rock.

Fluttershy watched in horror and told Platinum, "I'm sorry… I have to help them… I can't let this happen to my friends…"

"No… I'll fight him…"

"Oh no, you're far to injured…"

"Why would you care? I made your friend Twilight cry. Why not let me throw my life away..?"

"Because I… I can't see you get hurt anymore…"

"I'm sorry… but I have to do this…" he pulled himself up and slowly began walking towards the dragon.

"Oh little Platinum Victory coming back for more? When I'm done with you, you'll be crying to your daddy. Oh wait, I forgot, your daddy is dead."

Platinum flew as fast as he could into the neck of the dragon pushing him back into the mountain side he crashed into earlier. He used his hind legs to uppercut the dragon and flew behind his head and kicked him again.

Dasolrog took a few faltering steps forward and then shook his head and looked angrily at Platinum.

He began breathing fire at him which Platinum tried to dodge, yet his right wing faltered after the beating from earlier and he got hit directly by it.

Dasolrog picked him up and threw him at the mountain side he was just at.

Platinum pulled himself up and began trying to walk away as fast as he could.

"Oh is little Platinum Victory running away from me?"

"Not you… just the rockslide…"

"Rockslide?" He looked up and saw hundreds of large rocks falling down on him. He was crushed under them and Platinum almost got away, yet he got hit by one and it covered half his body.

"We have to get him out of there!" Twilight yelled.

They five ran over dodging the rocks as they fell and Twilight used her magic to lift up the rock on top of Platinum and Rainbowdash and Applejack picked him up and began running away from the rockslide.

Dasolrog was obviously dead, his head crushed like a watermelon by a rock.

Everypony reached the ruins of Ponyville and ran Platinum to the hospital.

"Name, age and description of the accident," The pony at the counter asked.

"We have no time! This is Platinum Victory! He needs medical help!"

"Answer the questions and I might be able to schedule an appointment for next week…"

"This is an emergency! He might not survive much longer!"

"Answer the questions and I'll schedule your appointment…"

"I am Princess Twilight Sparkle and I command you get a doctor out here right now!"

She sighed and pressed an emergency button. An alarm went off and two doctor ponies ran in, took Platinum and put him on a stretcher and brought it into the emergency room.

"Thank you," Twilight said.

The six sat in the waiting room until four royal guard ponies took the door and Princess Celestia walked in and said, "I heard there was an attack. Twilight Sparkle, can you tell me what happened?"

"A huge dragon attacked Ponyville!"

"How many casualties were there?"

"That's the strange thing, there were none. This dragon apparently took extra care to make sure no pony died…"

"He wanted you as slaves…"

"What dragon would have an interest in slaves?"

"The most powerful dragon of all is named Razgal has hundreds of pony slaves. But was this dragon black or white?"

"He was black…"

"Then that was Dasolrog. Razgal's brother…"

"So does that mean he'll come for revenge?"

"I… I do not know… Where is Platinum Victory?"

"He's in the emergency room… He was horribly injured fighting the dragon… But he was able to kill it…"

The doctor walked out a few minutes later and said, "He'll make it…"

Everyone was relieved until the doctor said, "It's a miracle he survived… but I doubt he will ever fly, or walk again…"

"What? He has to be able to walk! And fly! If he can't then he can't protect Equestria!"

"I'm sorry… but there is nothing else I can do… You can see him if you would like…"

The six and Celestia followed the doctor to Platinum's room and then left.

"Princess Celestia?" he asked.

"Platinum Victory…"

"Well… I wasn't expected to be like this you can probably guess…"

"Do you think you can walk again?"

"I most likely can now…" he said pulling himself out of the bed.

He stood for a few seconds and began walking around.

"But the doctor said…" Twilight started.

"Yes, but he forgot the part about me being a Victory… We can take a lot more than most ponies…"

"Do you think you'll ever fly again?"

"Of course I will… I'm Platinum Victory…"


	5. Chapter 5: Fear in the bravest hearts

Platinum rolled around in bed unable to fall asleep as too much was on his mind.

"Those ponies saved me… risked their lives for me after I treated their friend like dirt… but… why?"

He continued rolling around pulling his mane trying to think. "What is it… why would they try to save me? Maybe it's just because they want to use me to continue trying to defend Equestria… they expect me to stop the Great Horror when I can barely stop Dasolrog without my power amulet?"

Platinum fell asleep before he could finish thinking.

* * *

It had been two days since Platinum had left his house. No pony had seen him and the six began getting worried.

"What if he was corrupted and is doing some dark ritual!" Twilight asked.

"Stop being so paranoid Twilight. I'm sure he's fine…" Rarity replied.

"You always think he is! What if he isn't? The safety of Equestria might be at stake!"

"Then why don't you go check up on him? He is your student after all… You need to make sure he's alright and is doing what he is supposed to be doing…"

"I guess I could… But what if he doesn't want to see me?"

"Twilight, you're overreacting… Celestia has had many students… I'm sure you will be able to just as well as her…"

"But she's had hundreds of years of practice! This is my first and most likely my most important one!"

Rarity sighed and began walking off, "I tried my best Twilight… Oh yes, give Platinum my best wishes will you? Also, try to bring up a conversation about me, but make sure you bring up the others too so he doesn't get suspicious. Oh yes don't forget to tell him to come to town hall later today for Pinkie's welcome to Ponyville slash thank you for saving us party!"

* * *

Twilight knocked on the door of Platinum's house and waited for a few moments.

"Who is it?!" he yelled from inside.

"It's Twilight! Can I come in!?"

"The door is unlocked! Come on in!"

She opened the door and walked in. She got lost at first yet eventually found the living room and sat on a couch.

Platinum walked in a few minutes later, a bandage still covering his wings.

"So what is it Twilight?" he asked.

"Well, you're my student… So I came to make sure everything was alright…"

"Well everything is fine, but surely that isn't the only reason you came here…"

"Well… as your new tutor I need to know more about you…"

"What do you need to know?"

"Well… what do you think of my friends?"

"Which one?"

"All of them. Start with any of them…"

"Well that Rainbowdash seems kind of… fan girly… in a sense, yet seems decently strong willed… Pinkie is well… I don't really know her enough… Fluttershy seems rather distant and I can't get a good read on her either, yet no offense but I am not exactly sure she's that strongly willed…"

"Does everything have to do with will with you?"

"I hold the Power of Will… of course it does… Now continuing on I think Applejack is strong willed and seems hardy in a sense… yet her accent kind of annoys me… Rarity reminds me of the ponies from Canterlot quite a bit, yet with more intelligence."

"And what do you think of me?"

"I don't like magic… and you use magic to endless extent. However seeing past that I can tell you are quite intelligent for a newly crowned princess and could make a good princess given the right circumstances… Yet I doubt you could lead us if the Shadow Empire were to invade again…"

"You don't think I can?"

"Discord, Queen Chrysalis and King Sombra are one thing... the Shadow Empire is a whole new level of evil... and power…"

"Well I'm supposed to be your tutor on how to avoid corruption and defeat it…"

"I know all about the Shadow Empire's military tactics… What else would I need to know?

"Oh really?"

"Shadow ponies gather into groups of 25 in a five by five block called units. They march in two columns and when they engage the enemy in battle the first two units take the middle ground and then two units behind that take go to opposite sides and fight there and this keeps happening until either all units have entered combat, or the enemy is completely surrounded, in which case the remaining units will go into reserves to fill the line when a unit is destroyed or to kill reinforcements…"

Twilight was shocked at how much he knew and said, "Well you don't need tutoring on that…"

"Is there anything else?"

"What do you fear the most?"

"I'm Platinum Victory… I fear nothing…"

"Surely you fear something. Loss? Death?"

"Nope. If I were to die I would embrace the fact that I am leaving this world, and I have nothing to lose…"

"You have to fear something…"

"Nothing… Why would you want to know what I'm afraid of? So you could use it against me, or hold it over my head?"

"No! I would try to help you get past it! We need you to be fearless!"

"Well you don't need to worry about that… I'm fine…"

She sighed and said, "Well then… How's your wing?"

"It's getting better… I should be flying in the week…"

"Well that's good…"

"Is there anything else you would like to speak about?"

"Well… We need you to come to town the town hall in an hour…"

"For what?"

"I'm not exactly sure; they just told me to tell you…"

"Well… bye then…"

Twilight left the house hoping she had accomplished what she set out to do for the day.

* * *

Platinum began walking through town, and instantly realized that he couldn't see anyone. It was like Ponyville had become a ghost town. Even though it was still in ruin, he expected the ponies to be hard at work rebuilding the town.

"Town wide nap time?" he asked himself.

The town hall was in his sights and he wished he had his wings so he could just fly through town instead of having to walk like an earth pony.

He opened the door to the town hall and walked in. The lights were all off and he couldn't see anything.

"Umm… hello?" he said into the darkness.

Suddenly the lights were turned on and all the ponies that were hiding under the shroud of darkness yelled, "Surprise!"

Platinum was shocked for a few seconds until he saw Pinkie Pie hop over to him.

"I couldn't throw you a party earlier because the dragon attacked! But I got it done! Also it's a thank you party for saving us from that evil and mean dragon! You were like ka-pow! Bam!" she kept going on with fighting noises and attempts at kung-fu while Platinum walked away and began getting thanked for saving all the ponies.

Meanwhile Rarity walked over to Twilight and asked, "What did he say about me?"

"He says you're just like the Canterlot ponies, yet slightly more intelligent…"

"Is that good or bad?"

"I don't know, he never told me what he thought of the Canterlot ponies…"

* * *

Platinum stared out the window. Personally he hadn't wanted a party, yet Pinkie had apparently done a lot of work to get it set up.

"Platinum… why are you sitting here? This party is for you and you're just staring out a window…" Twilight said.

"I… I don't know… a lot has been on my mind lately."

"Like?"

"Like why you would bother trying to save me after what I did…"

"You're… a friend… and friends watch out for the other…"

"You would really consider me a friend?"

"Of course I would…", as she said that a royal guard pony walked in and over to Platinum.

"Princess Celestia has new orders for you Platinum Victory…"

"What miserable little town do I have to save this time?"

"It's all in this letter…" he handed him a letter and walked off.

He used his teeth to rip it open and put it on a table.

"Platinum Victory… The town of Tall Tale is in dire need of your help. Despite your injuries I am certain you can deal with the threat. It is currently under attack by a giant spider…"

Platinum froze when he read that last part.

"Spider… Giant…"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's just umm… how am I supposed to stop this without my wings? I'm sorry Tall Tale but I can't do anything…"

"You have too! You can't let innocent ponies die just because you can't fly temporarily!"

"I won't… umm… My wings are my greatest asset, without them I can't stop anything…"

"Didn't you stop a hydra without wings before?"

"That was… umm…"

"What is the real issue?"

"There is no real issue. I'm just not going to fight a giant spider!"

He stormed out and Pinkie began panicking, "But we haven't even had any cake yet!"

* * *

Platinum wouldn't do it. Dragons and hydras were one thing, but spiders were a whole new level.

The truth was, Platinum Victory was afraid of something… he was afraid of spiders…

He had a horrible history with the creatures, and even the smallest and most harmless of spiders would frighten him.

Yet a giant spider… he would probably be scared to death if he saw one…

He punched the wall and said, "Why can't I get over it… It's my one weakness and I can't have it stick, if my enemies found out they would…" he started.

He put his face in his hooves and began rubbing his eyes.

"I can't let ponies die… but I can't handle a giant spider…"

There was a knock on his door and he went to answer it.

Twilight stood there and began reading from a newspaper, "Giant spider attacks Tall Tale! Hundreds of ponies have already been killed by the monster, and the city is in ruin. The royal guard has been doing their best to try to stop the monster, yet is unable. Two questions remain… will the few ponies left survive? And where is Platinum Victory!"

Platinum shut the door in her face.

* * *

"Why won't he do it? He's still a fighter on the ground!" Rainbowdash said.

"Oh… all those ponies are getting hurt…" Fluttershy said.

"Not just hurt Fluttershy… killed…" Twilight corrected.

Platinum flew by and the six walked over to him, "Platinum, your wings are healed!" Rainbowdash said.

"Platinum! We need you to stop the spider!"

"No. For the last time no!"

"Will you at least tell us why you won't do it?"

He looked at them for a few moments and then sighed.

"Alright… the truth is… I have a horrid fear of spiders… even the smallest and most harmless ones…"

Rainbowdash, Twilight and Applejack began laughing and Platinum gave them a nasty look.

"Oh what's this eight legged thing gonna do? Cover me in its web?" Rainbowdash taunted.

"That's it…" he picked all six of them up by their tails and began flying north.

"What are you doing?! Where are you taking us Platinum?!"

"I'm gonna put fear in your hearts…"

* * *

He arrived in Tall Tale to see it in flames with the giant spider in the center.

"If you all are so brave, and want to taunt me for being afraid of spiders, go and stop it…" Platinum said.

The six watched in horror as it tore the town apart and webbed ponies up and sucked their blood dry in seconds.

"Oh hey, maybe it will cover you in its web…" Platinum said focusing on Rainbowdash.

"You have to stop it!" Twilight said.

"I already told you… I won't… I won't go near that thing…"

"But you fight dragons! Hydras! You have beaten much more than this!"

"Spiders… are a whole new story…"

Twilight thought for a few seconds then said, "Look, once this thing is done with this city, it will move north and take out Vanhoover!"

"Vanhoover… those ponies don't deserve that…"

"Yeah! So go stop it before it does!"

"No… I can't fight a spider…"

"Please! Just try…"

He took a few deep breaths, looked up and flew out. He threw a rock at the spider and it turned to him.

"Oh umm… sorry about that… didn't see you there… umm you can go back to burning the city down…"

He began trying to fly away yet it gave chase until they were beyond the northern reaches of Equestria. It was getting cold, and the wind was getting into Platinum's eyes, which made him unable to see the spider shoot a giant web at him to pull him down.

He began panicking; trying his best to get away, yet the spider was getting closer.

"Come on Platinum get over fears!" he yelled at himself. Yet he couldn't.

He began bashing the ground in frustration at his fears until he heard ice beginning to crack.

He looked around and the spider had broken the ice and fallen into a lake, yet as it began sinking it dragged the web that was attached to Platinum down with it.

He tried to find something to grab hold of yet was instead dragged across the ice and into the water.

The six ran desperately for the hole in the ice and saw Platinum get dragged in.

They ran to the edge, all not sure what would happen if they went in.

"Twilight we got to do somethin!" Applejack said.

They all stared helplessly into the water until after a few moments Platinum crawled out.

"Platinum! Are you alright?!" Twilight asked.

"I… I think so…"

"How did you get free?"

"The water shriveled up the web… But now do you see why I can't fight spiders?"

"I don't see what the problem is… you stopped this one…"

"Luck… if the ice hadn't broke I would have died. Simple as that."

"Keep thinking that…" she said as they began walking off.


	6. Chapter 6: Corruption

"Well… it couldn't have been that bad…" Twilight said.

"Really? Tell me the last time you had to lead only twenty royal guards against over five hundred shadow ponies and win," Platinum replied.

"Well Platinum… everyone knows you hate magic and that it's a weakness in a sense…"

"What about it?"

"How do you fight it?"

He got up and went into another room and came back a few moments later with a strange gold amulet with a green crystal on it.

"What is that?"

"It was a gift from my father… he discovered the weakness when I was very little and had some pony build this… it prevents any and all magic from affecting the wearer…"

"Nothing can do that…"

"Wanna test it then?"

"Alright, but there is no way it does what you say it does…"

He put it on and Twilight shot a beam at him, yet it hit a shield that formed around him and was absorbed.

"It can't…"

Platinum's eyes began turning black and he stood frozen.

"I... it's…" Platinum stuttered.

"What is it? What's going on with your eyes?"

"Corrupted… the amulet is corrupte…" he wasn't able to finish before fainting.

Twilight panicked. He was corrupted? By the amulet? Maybe she had to just take it off.

He walked over and tried to take it off yet Platinum's eyes opened as she moved towards him and he pushed her away.

"Ahh… it's been so long…" he said, his voice suddenly deeper yet had a loud echo.

"Platinum?"

"Ahh Twilight Sparkle… princess of Equestria… I believe we have something to discuss…"

"And… what would that be..?"

"Giving complete control of Equestria to the Shadow Empire…"

"No!"

"Wrong answer…"

He charged her yet she teleported out of the house and began a run to the library.

* * *

Twilight began running through Ponyville trying to find her friends knowing they were in danger. The town was in flame and screams were cut short as lives were ended.

She found the five at the town square and she ran over to them.

"Are you ponies alright?!" she yelled.

"Yeah, but who's doing this?! And where is Platinum?!" Rainbowdash yelled.

"He's causing this!"

"What? Why would Platinum ever even think about destroying Ponyville?" Rarity asked.

"He was corrupted…"

"What!?" the other five yelled in unison.

"He can't be corrupted! He's far too strong for that to happen! I was so sure of it…"

Yet just as she said that Platinum landed next to them and said, "Oh hello my old friends…"

"Old!? I can't be old yet!" Pinkie whined.

"Wha… what are you going to do..?" Fluttershy asked.

"I'm going to simply remove all of your heads and put them on sharpened stakes… Doesn't that sound like fun?"

Fluttershy took a few steps back while Pinkie said, "Fun!? Fire isn't fun! Sharpened stakes? How can those be fun!?"

"Oh so foolish… I will enjoy this…"

He began walking forward to them when a pony behind him said, "Stop Platinum Victory!"

He turned around and saw Princess Celestia, with six royal guard ponies in front of her.

"Oh Princess Celestia… you certainly arrived faster now than you did when the dragon attacked…"

"You have been corrupted…"

"Oh me? Why what gives you that bright idea?"

She shot a magic bolt at him which was absorbed by the shield.

"Seize him!" she yelled to the guards.

They charged yet he flew threw them like a bowling ball.

"Oh please… you think that could stop me? You must be insane…"

He charged her yet she jumped out of the way. She tried to kick him yet he crouched right before and kicked out her legs causing her to fall. He jumped back and she stood up.

"Princess, are you alright!" Twilight yelled.

"You must go and get the Elements of Harmony! They may be the only thing that can stop him!"

"Oh… they won't… I am unstoppable… use your precious elements… but Equestria will serve the dark powers…" Platinum said.

The mane six began a run for Twilight's library while the Princess and Platinum continued fighting.

She tried to punch him yet he moved his head to the side, grabbed the limb she tried to punch him with and threw her into a tree.

She tried to get up yet he picked her up and threw her again.

He walked over to her and said, "Now you must realize that you have lost…"

"Twilight and the others will stop you…"

"No… they won't… because there is something that they seem to be forgetting…"

* * *

"Alright everypony, our goal is to get that amulet off. If what I read about corruption is right, then corruption by an item is undoable if the item is removed from the owner's possession…"

"So… we might be able to save him?" Fluttershy asked.

"Yes… but it isn't assured… We might… have to kill him…"

"What?! We can't kill Platinum Victory! What would Equestria do without him?" Rarity asked.

"I don't know, but if he is stuck like this it can't be worse than it would be with him corrupted…"

"I… I don't think I can…"

"Fluttershy, it's our only chance…"

"Alright… I'll try…"

They ran to the town square and found Platinum sitting on top of the fountain with Princess Celestia on the ground nearby.

"What did you do to her!?" Rainbowdash yelled.

"Oh, she'll be alright. I need her to get the other ponies to submit to my will…"

"Alright girls, let's do this!" Twilight yelled.

The six made a circle around Twilight, yet they all looked uneasy, not wanting to hurt their new friend.

The elements began glowing and Twilight was lifted into the air and her eyes went white. All of the sudden a huge burst of magic blasted out of her crown and went straight at Platinum.

He took it head on with the shield, and after a few moments he pushed forward breaking the beam and sending the six back from the resulting explosion.

"HA! You truly thought that the Elements of Harmony could stop the god of darkness most powerful servant in this powerful a host?! You must truly be fools!"

"Wait… you aren't Platinum Victory?"

"No! This is merely a shell… and once I get the Victory crystal which gives the family its power… I will destroy it, and I will free my master, who will be so pleased he will bring back my real form so I can dispose of this body…"

"He wouldn't help you! He's wouldn't have you as a threat to him!"

"You truly think I'm a threat to him? He's a god! And by all means I am not… when people think evil they think that the servant always wants to overthrow the master… this is false… he has nothing to fear of me…"

"He's no real god! He's just an alicorn!"

"You would believe that wouldn't you? The lies spread by Princess Celestia to keep the populace feel safer; tell me, how would the citizens of Equestria react if they had a god trying to kill them? They merely surrendered to him over a thousand years ago… they would do the same again…"

"Princess Celestia… is he a powerful alicorn… or truly a god?" Twilight asked.

"He… he is a god… I couldn't let it get out… huge panic would have ensued…"

"See! Even Celestia admits it! You must realize Twilight Sparkle, that darkness is the only true answer..."

"No! I refuse to believe it! You were held off for over a thousand years it can be a thousand more!"

"By the Victory family… and I have the last Victory as my puppet now… Oh how hard he is trying to take control back, and sure he is powerful… but not more than I… join us Twilight Sparkle… the great one shows mercy to his subjects… Or you can stay with the doomed Equestria and the princess that you loved oh so much that decided to repay it with lies about your so called enemy, who had never even tried to harm you before…" he said holding out his hoof.

She looked to Princess Celestia, who was struggling to get up and then to her friends who watched in horror.

"What is your answer?" he demanded.

"No! I will never join you! We'll stop you!"

"Foolish girl… you just gave me your best and I beat it with ease! What else could you possibly do? Go run to your little library… and bring your friends… I will spare you for pity for the moment… yet I will come for you again very soon… let that stay on your mind…"

* * *

"Why didn't the elements work?!" Rainbowdash asked.

"I don't know… everything was fine, we're all still best friends? Nothing like what happened with Discord happened now… What could it have been? Is one of us not holding it up?"

They all stared at Fluttershy who cracked under the pressure, "Maybe it's because we tried to use the magic of friendship on a friend…"

"That actually makes sense… why wouldn't we have thought of that?"

"Well if we can't then what are we supposed to do?" Rarity asked.

"We realize the truth Rarity… that monster out there isn't our friend… it's a strange creature in our friend's body… and we have to save our friend by getting rid of it…"

"Umm, can you tell me what this thought will change?"

"The Elements of Harmony are very restrictive… they wouldn't unleash their full power against our friend… we just need to focus it on the beast inside him, and not Platinum himself…"

* * *

"So Princess… the great one is willing to end your lives quickly and painlessly if you surrender… although we all know what happened last time, he is willing to give you one last chance…" Platinum said.

"I will never surrender to the Shadow Empire…" Celestia replied.

"Platinum, or whatever beast is controlling you, I command you to stop!" Twilight said running over.

"Oh you again… I see you do not value your lives…"

"We figured out how to stop you!"

"Oh really? Please enlighten me…"

"The Elements of Harmony can't be used to stop a friend, but you aren't a friend, you're just a monster in his body!"

"Oh you solved the puzzle bravo! You may defeat me now… yet before you do let me tell you something… the Elements of Harmony won't destroy me… however… they will affect the host… I will simply leave this body and continue on… So ultimately the only thing you will have accomplished is hurting Platinum Victory…"

"You're lying! You're just trying to scare us!"

"Am I? Use them on me then…" he said as an evil grin crossed his face.

Twilight looked at her friends and said, "Girls… we have to do it."

"I… I don't think I could hurt him…" Fluttershy said.

"You can either do it this once or have him be corrupted forever!"

Twilight turned away and said, "You're attempts to scare us won't work…"

The Elements began glowing again and Twilight was lifted into the air and her eyes went white.

A huge beam of energy blasted from the crown right into the energy shield around Platinum and after a few seconds, broke the shield and hit him head on.

He went flying and the amulet flew off and landed next to him. The six ran over to him as he slowly brought himself up and picked up the amulet.

"No… it couldn't have failed…" Twilight said.

Yet Platinum didn't put it back on, instead he crushed it between his hooves, and as he did a black mist fled from it and floated north.

"Let that be the end of it…" he said.

As he said that four royal guards flew in, three went to Celestia while the third walked over to Platinum and said, "Platinum Victory… on charges of corruption, you are to be executed…"

"What? You can't execute him!" Twilight pleaded.

"I made a promise to end the Victory family if any more of its members became corrupted…" Princess Celestia said finally standing up.

"Actually Celestia… I wasn't corrupted… I would think you would know the difference between corruption and possession…"

"Yes but…"

"I was possessed by whatever was in that amulet… I was not corrupted…"

She gave him an evil look and said, "You may have managed to talk your way out of this, but not next time… I will let you know that this is purely because I am in no condition to do as I said I would…" as she said that she flew away and Platinum sat on the ground.

"All those ponies… that I killed…"

"You didn't kill those ponies… it was the creature that possessed you…" Twilight said.

"Tell that to the families of the ponies I killed… Tell that to the ones that died because I wasn't strong enough to not be possessed by some amulet… Everypony in this town will hate me for what I've done…"

Twilight sighed and stared at Ponyville. Her horn began glowing and soon a light encompassed all Ponyville.

It lasted a few seconds until it faded away.

"What did you just do?" Platinum asked.

"I used a memory spell to make everypony forget what happened today… Except for us…"

"You… really did?"

"I couldn't have an angry mob try to kill you…"

"It might change what they think of me… but it won't change the loss…"

"Nothing can change death; we just need to move on…"

"Will you any of you forgive me?"

"Of course we do," they said in unison.


	7. Chapter 7: Dark Dreams

Platinum was small again. It was gold, and he had fallen and hurt his leg badly.

His father walked up to him and said, "Son… if we fall… we pick ourselves up…"

Platinum tried his best to get up yet his leg was hurt too badly.

However his father came to the rescue, picked him up, and put him on his back and began carrying him to their cave home.

"I… I couldn't get up dad…" Platinum said.

"Something else you should know is that when we see others fall… we help them get up…"

"But I couldn't do it on my own…"

"You're all I have left… I can't have you sit there unable to get yourself up…"

* * *

Platinum woke up from his dreams. He had dreamt of his father again. That scene where he fell was stuck in his head more than any other. It had been the day before his father had died.

He sat up in his bed and checked the clock; it was 3:00 at night. He lay back down and tried to sleep, yet woke up an hour later after having the same dream.

"Dad… I miss you so much… if only you were still here… to guide me… because I have no one…"

He tried to sleep, having reluctantly accepted an invitation to a tea party Fluttershy was having with all her friends.

He lay in bed all night unable to sleep, and when it hit 8:00 in the morning he got out of his bed still tired.

"This will be just a grand ole day…"

He walked over to Fluttershy's cottage and found the six around a table all dressed up.

"Oh why hello Platinum…" Fluttershy said.

"I'm sorry… I didn't realize this was going to be formal…" he replied.

"Oh it isn't a problem… I mean, if it is…" she started.

"It isn't…"

Spike was dressed like a servant and poured Platinum some tea and walked off somewhere, yet Platinum wasn't paying much attention. The six began talking about parents and Platinum zoned out going back to the dream of his father and him falling.

Fluttershy noticed him staring blankly at nothing and said, "Platinum… are you alright?"

He shook his head clear and said, "I… I think I am…"

"Oh if you're bored we can talk about something else…"

"No it's not that…"

"Are you sick?"

"No… it's nothing…"

"Well Platinum, could you ever tell us what happened to Dark Victory?" Twilight asked.

"You don't know?"

"No pony does… he just disappeared one day…"

"He… died."

"Dark Victory, the most powerful pony in existence died? How is that possible?"

"He was weakened after his Victory Crusade… and he was murdered…"

"What about your mother?"

"She abandoned me shortly before my father died…"

"You grew up alone?"

"Yeah… at first for a few months in Cloudsdale, then in Vanhoover…"

"I'm sorry I made you have to relive that…"

"It's no problem… it's the past…"

For the rest of the party Platinum zoned out again. One by one the ponies began going home until it was only Platinum and Fluttershy.

"Oh Platinum, are you not done? You can stay if you like…"

He shook his head again and said, "Sorry… lost myself for a while there…"

"Well, you can leave if you want…"

"Yeah… I'll think I'll do that… my mind is getting all cluttered…" he got up and began walking home.

* * *

He couldn't sleep again. His mind was stuck on his father.

"I need to go back…" he said to himself.

* * *

Platinum stood at the train station with his bag waiting for the first train going as far north as possible.

As he stood Twilight and the others walked up to him and she asked, "Why are you leaving?"

"I have to go to the frozen north…"

"What?! Why would you need to go there?"

"I need to see if my father somehow survived…"

"If he had survived don't you think he would have come back by now?"

"Not if he was a prisoner…"

"Prisoner? What would have imprisoned him?"

"Nothing important… but I need to go…"

"We're coming with you!"

"Really? I will let you know I might not be able to protect you from all the monsters up there…"

"M… Monsters?" Fluttershy said.

"Yes, there are hydras, serpents, yetis, dragons and a lot more up there…"

"Dragons!? Alright, you can go alone."

"Fluttershy no! He's our friend, and no matter what he says we're going with him…"

"Does that mean I have to wait for you all to get your gear together?"

"Yes… it does…"

He groaned as the train he was originally supposed to get on left the station.

* * *

It didn't take long for them to prepare, yet it took awhile for the next train to arrive.

They all went inside a booth and set their stuff down. Platinum immediately opened his and took out his full body armor.

"What's the armor for?" Twilight asked.

"Do you know how close we will be to the Shadow Empire when we are up there? I had to take precautions…"

He started with the shin guards and then put on the chest plate. He then put on an archaic style helmet like the guards used, yet unlike the guards his armor was made of silver like material, not gold.

He took out his spear and Twilight asked, "Why a spear?"

"I never liked swords… spears are better at keeping them at a distance…"

He finally took out his power amulet and put it around his neck. "Well…" he started, "I'm as ready as I'm going to get… how much longer?"

"We haven't left the station yet…"

"We haven't?"

"We're just now starting up…"

"Well that's just great… this armor is really uncomfortable to sit in…"

* * *

Nearly four hours passed before they arrived at the station furthest north.

"Well girls… we're here…" Twilight said.

Platinum got off the train and began leading the six further north.

"It's… getting really cold…" Twilight said.

"It's the frozen north… what did you expect?" Rainbowdash said.

"Quiet! Something might hear us," Platinum said.

They slowly treaded forward until they got past the blizzard and it was nothing but mountains and fields of snow.

"How does any pony survive up here?" Applejack asked.

"Very few do… they're mostly nomads and they hunt the yeti…"

"They eat yetis?"

"Yes… they also eat cave mushrooms… and for water they melt snow…"

"That's disgusting!" Rarity complained.

"I had to live on nothing but cave mushrooms because I refused to eat yetis when my father killed them and brought them back…"

He suddenly stopped and said, "Get down…" in a hushed voice.

They all lowered themselves into the snow as Platinum began slowly moving forward. They heard a roar and Platinum readied his spear.

"All of you stay back!" he yelled to them.

A few moments later he was charged by a yeti. He jumped out of the way of the charged and flew up.

It jumped up at him yet he speared it in the arm and kicked it in the face. He then flew down as fast as he could to ram his spear into the chest yet it got out of the way.

It swung its arm at him to try and swipe his head off yet he lowered his head and jabbed the spear into its belly driving it deeper and deeper.

It used its arm and hit him away before pulling out the spear and throwing it to the side and charging him.

The other six were horrified at what was happening and tried moving away; yet they saw a second yeti charging their way.

Platinum saw the threat and kicked the injured yeti away before picking up his spear and throwing it at the charging yet, getting it in the shoulder.

They both charged at him from opposite sides and right before they hit him he flew up and their momentum brought them too far causing them to crash into the other. He pulled the spear out of the yetis shoulder and then drove it through its neck.

He pulled it out and the yeti fell to the ground dead. The other yeti charged him again yet ran right into Platinum's spear which penetrated it near the first wound in the belly. He pulled it out and used it as a bat to hit it in the side of the head.

The yeti fell onto its face and tried to get up, yet Platinum walked on top of it and drove the spear into its back penetrating its heart, and then pulled out the spear and walked over to the other six.

"Are you all alright?" he asked.

"You… were ruthless…" Twilight said.

"They tried to hurt my friends… they deserved it…"

"Couldn't Fluttershy have done something? She's good with wild animals…"

"Not these… all the creatures in the frozen north are corrupted by the Shadow Empire because of how close it is… most of the nomad ponies are as well… So we might have to fight them too…"

"You do this all the time?"

"Not often… I'm not a fan of killing… but I do it without mercy when I have too… It's getting dark, we need to find a cave to take shelter in, oh yeah stay behind me when we do, it might have a dragon in it…"

"Dr…dragons?" Fluttershy whined.

"Or a huge pack of yetis, which could number in the hundreds…"

"Hundreds!?"

"Maybe even nomad ponies, or who knows, a shadow pony unit…"

"Shadow ponies? Here?" Twilight asked.

"Tell me, how close is the Shadow Empire?"

"Very close…"

"Exactly… so why wouldn't they patrol the border with Equestria?"

They searched around the mountains until they found a small cave that went only ten feet in and was around twelve feet tall.

"This will do… Twilight can you start a fire?"

Platinum took firewood out of his bag, made a pyramid out of the wood, and used stones to make a fire circle.

Twilight used her magic to light it and the seven sat in a circle around the fire.

They heard a roar and Platinum picked up his spear.

"Wait here… I'm going to go check it out…"

"What if something comes in while you're gone?" Twilight asked.

"Use your magic to hold it off until I get back…" he said walking out.

After a few moments Rarity said, "Oh did you see the way he came to our defense?"

"Yes Rarity… we were all there…" Twilight said.

"He must be mad for me!"

Fluttershy had had enough; she couldn't deal with Rarity spouting off those things.

"I doubt he is… you probably disgust him…" she said.

"Fluttershy! How could you say such a thing?!"

"You remind him of Canterlot ponies… he hates Canterlot ponies…"

"Well why would you care about what he thinks of me? Unless… how could you Fluttershy! I told you I had fallen for him!"

"Maybe I do… but give me one good reason as to why you have other than his social status."

"Well he's… he's umm…"

"Nothing? That's all you care about isn't it?"

"Fluttershy... you aren't like this, what is causing this?" Twilight asked.

"I'm done sitting here while she tries to steal Platinum!"

"Steal? You're the one trying to! I said I liked him long before you did!"

"You might have said it first… but did you feel that way first?"

"I did!"

"I fell for him the moment I saw him race years ago! I felt a spark…"

"You can't have him! I'll make sure of it!"

"I don't even need to try to make sure he isn't yours…"

"Both of you quiet! You don't need to ruin your friendship over Platinum!" Twilight said.

"It is a little late for that!" Rarity exclaimed.

Platinum flew in a few moments later and said, "Coast is clear… We should be getting to sleep…"

"Yes… we should," Twilight agreed.

Platinum sat by the entrance and watched the outside as it began snowing heavily. The six got into their sleeping bags and after a while Platinum mistakenly fell asleep.

Rarity had not however. She crawled out of her sleeping bag and took out a pair of scissors from her travel bag.

"Let's see how he likes her when I'm done with her…" she said to herself while looking down at Fluttershy.

* * *

Platinum woke up to a scream and instantly picked up his spear and cursed himself for falling asleep.

He looked outside for anything and saw nothing, save the barren fields of snow.

He put his spear in the ground and looked into the cave and saw five of the six up and out, while Fluttershy was hiding in her sleeping bag.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Take a look…" Twilight said.

He saw a large amount of pink and yellowish hair on the ground and saw a pair of scissors nearby.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me… Fluttershy you need to come out…"

"No…"

"You need too…"

"I'm not coming out…"

He sighed and picked up the scissors.

"It's plainly obvious who did this… who is the only pony who would bring scissors with them on this trip?"

They all stared at Rarity who instantly denied it, "Why! Anypony would know I would have the scissors! They could have just gone through my bag!"

He groaned and said, "Alright then… is anypony willing to admit that they did it? Or that they have evidence pointing to one certain pony?"

"It must have been Rarity!" Rainbowdash said.

"Yeah, she was arguing with Fluttershy last night!"

"It does sound accurate Rarity… the evidence points to you…"

"Well Rarity… you're being singled out… anything else to say?"

"Alright I did it! She just made me so angry!"

"And what was this argument Rainbowdash said you had about?"

"Oh nothing… just girl stuff…"

"Alright all of you need to listen to me right now… we are in the frozen north… we are beyond Celestia's influence and are right on the border of the Shadow Empire! We can't split apart, all we have are each other right now… I can barely protect all of you in one group, if you were split apart then there is no way I could protect all of you!"

He looked at Fluttershy still hiding in her bag and said, "Rarity you might have screwed us over… she could freeze out here and I have no intention of going back…"

"I wasn't thinking alright? It was a spur of the moment thing!"

"I think I know a spell that could grow her hair back," Twilight said.

"Thank the first Victory… alright, do your magic stuff… everypony else gather your stuff, I highly doubt Fluttershy would want us all here when she has to come out of that bag…"

They all gathered their things and left Twilight and Fluttershy in the cave, and a few minutes later both came with Fluttershy looking good as new.

Rarity gave her an evil eye and the seven continued across the fields of snow.

* * *

"We're here…" Platinum said.

"All I see is a hole in the ground… and more snow…" Twilight said.

"My dad was taken into that hole…"

They stood staring at the hole and Platinum began tensing up.

"Well… are we going to go in?" Rainbowdash asked.

"Do you know why I'm afraid of spiders?"

"You have a bad history with them?" Twilight answered.

"There is a huge hive of spiders in that cave… yes… Dark Victory was killed by spiders the size of ponies…"

"Well let's go in and clean them out!" Rainbowdash said.

"Spiders…"

"Platinum you have to get over your fear darling…" Rarity said.

He took a few deep breaths and began walking in.

It began getting dark and he said, "Twilight, can you make some light?"

She used her magic and began lighting up the area around them.

He continued leading the way, obviously nervous about the fact that they were in a spider hive.

"What are we here for again?" Rainbowdash asked.

"I need to find something… also I need to figure out if my father was taken prisoner or not…"

"Why would spiders take him prisoner?"

"Because of who he is…"

"And what are you looking for?"

"His power amulet… the Power of Strength…"

"You lost it?"

"I never had it… he had it when he was dragged in here… I need to get it back. Currently I have every power amulet every Victory had save three… the original Victory's Power of Victory is in Canterlot castle, Cloud Victory's was destroyed after he was killed, and my fathers is somewhere here…"

They continued into the cave with Rarity complaining the whole time about how dirty it was, "All this dirt! It's getting into my mane! And I'm covered in spider webs!"

Despite the fact they had run into countless spider webs, there were no spiders to be seen.

"These webs are fresh… where could they be?" Twilight asked.

"I personally don't want to know…"

After a while longer Rainbowdash asked, "We're lost aren't we?"

"Yes… we are…" Platinum admitted.

Everypony groaned and Fluttershy said, "Oh, if we're lost we'll be trapped in here… with who knows what strange monsters… or dragons…"

"I can assure you there are no dragons here… There used to be when I was very young, yet the spider hive killed him with ease…"

"You knew about this place before your father died?"

"Of course I did… in fact… it's my fault my father got dragged in here…"

"It couldn't have been…"

"It was… he had gone to some race in Cloudsdale and while he was gone I decided to act brave yet ended up being stupid and tried to attack the hive… my father came at the last second and saved me… but not himself… so…" he stopped.

He looked around and said, "Can you make it brighter?"

Twilight put more energy into the light and it lit more of the room, showing the group to be surrounded by spiders that were their size, and one much larger spider near in the center of the group.

Platinum began shaking with fear and backed himself into a wall, yet quickly ran back to the center when he saw spiders on the wall.

"Platinum, do something!" Twilight pleaded.

"Spiders…"

"Why would you even come in here if you knew there were!?"

"I… I don't know…"

Platinum stood as the spiders began covering the seven in web and dragging them away to a feeding chamber.

* * *

All seven were webbed up and hanging from the ceiling and Platinum was still panicking.

"Let us down you beast! I am Princess Twilight Sparkle and Princess Celestia will destroy this whole hive if you go through with this!"

"You foolish girl…" the large spider said, "Celestia is too scared to come this far north… and the great one will reward me when he sees you are dead…"

"You… work for the Shadow Empire?"

"Of course we do! They could wipe us out easily! Go just a mile farther north and you will see the sky turn black from his influence…" she stared at Platinum for a few moments and said, "I know that symbol on your chest plate… two crossed swords… you're a Victory…"

Platinum stuttered when he tried to talk and couldn't say anything.

"Scared? You should be young Victory… for I am the Matriarch… I must say it is a pleasure to have you here… your father was quite delicious… I suspect you will be the same…"

"You… killed him?" he finally let out.

"Of course we did. Did you think we would take him prisoner or something?"

"Where is the Power of Strength?" he demanded.

"Oh… I keep it here… I believe the Power of Will shall make a fine addition to my new collection of Victory power amulets… You're father at least had the courage to fight back… apparently you don't… Kill the other two pegasus first… we don't want them somehow flying away…"

The spiders began crawling onto Fluttershy and Rainbowdash and Platinum said, "Let them go… and I won't kill you…"

"And you?"

"You'll give me the Power of Strength and let me go too…"

"Oh such an ignorant fool… what do you think you can do?"

He broke out of the web and pulled his spear from out of the ground.

"Oh this will be interesting… kill him my children…"

He first focused on killing the spiders that were attacking his friends and cut all of them loose.

"Thank Celestia I'm out of that web, it was filthy and ruined my beautiful mane!" Rarity said.

"Don't thank Celestia yet pony… you must realize you are surrounded…" the Matriarch said.

Platinum looked around the room and found a way to stop the Matriarch.

"Alright everypony listen up, we need to clear out the smaller ones first, and then you six need to cover the entrance. We're lucky there is only one way in, once it's cleared I will kill the Matriarch while you all prevent any more from getting in…"

Twilight used her magic to throw a large amount away while Rainbowdash made sure to pick them up and throw them around.

Platinum took a few deep breaths and said to himself, "Get over your fear once Platinum… what would Dark Victory say to me?"

He looked to the ground and then up at the Matriarch, picked up his spear and charged her.

She simply moved out of the way, grabbed his tail with a leg and threw him into a wall.

Most of the smaller spiders were gone and few could protect the Matriarch. His friends began blocking the doorway so no more could get in.

"You must realize… if I could kill your father… I can easily kill you…" the Matriarch said.

"You had all your minions then… not now…" he charged her again and tried to thrust his spear at her yet she jumped to the ceiling.

Platinum flew up and tried to hit her again, yet she jumped out of the way and his spear his nothing but rock.

"Am I too fast for you young Victory?"

"Nothing is too fast for me…"

He made a quick plan, he knew when he would get close she would jump out of the way so he determined where she would jump and tried to cover it, yet he got it wrong and she jumped the opposite way.

He began losing his temper as he charged again, yet this time she jumped up and when she came down she landed on him, and began covering him in her web.

"Tied up are we?" she said.

He tried to struggle yet the webbing was much stronger than that of the normal spiders.

"Oh you will be the best feast I have had in a very long time…"

* * *

"We have to help him!" Rainbowdash exclaimed.

"We can't! If we leave this path open for even a second they'll get in!" Twilight said. She was using her magic to try to make a barrier, yet the spiders found a few holes which the other five had to fill.

"If he fails then we're done for!" Rainbowdash tried to argue.

"If we fail then he is done for!" she yelled back.

* * *

Platinum had a new plan. She brought out a stinger to try to paralyze him, yet when she tried to stab him with it he began rolling, despite being webbed up.

"Running gets you nowhere Victory…" the Matriarch said.

Platinum looked around the dark room and found a rock that seemed to have a sharp edge, and tried to rub the web against it, and eventually ripped part of it.

The Matriarch was getting closer and Platinum at the last second poked his arm out of the hole, grabbed his spear and threw it at the Matriarch, hitting her right in the abdomen.

She screamed in pain and Platinum used the opportunity to continue trying to break the web.

The Matriarch ripped out the spear and threw it to the side and ran at Platinum, having a slight limp in her walk.

Platinum finally broke enough of the web to wiggle out of the casing and she ran into a rock.

He noticed a shining object on her leg and saw a silver necklace with a black diamond in the shape of two crossed swords behind a skull on it.

"You were carrying it this whole time? Thank you for the convenience…" he said as he grabbed her leg and bashed it against the rock, and then cut it off on the sharpened rock.

She screamed in pain as Platinum took the power amulet off the leg and seeing how the legs ended in a point, jabbed it into her abdomen, having it come out the other side.

"You're nothing without your slaves…" he said.

"You… can't do this to me! I'm the Matriarch of the most powerful spider hive on this planet!"

He picked up his spear and said, "And now a dead hive…" as he drove it through the back of her head and pulled it out.

She fell and Platinum ran to the others and said, "Let's get out of here… I got the Power of Strength…"

Twilight began moving her barrier forward and walking forward herself.

They eventually broke through the horde and began making a run through the cave.

"How do we get out?" Twilight yelled.

"I don't know! I got us lost remember?"

"I know the way!" Pinkie said.

"How could you know the way?"

"Left right left right!"

"What?"

"The tunnels we took! We always went left, then right, the whole time!"

"We did?"

"Of course we did!"

They followed Pinkie until they saw the light. The horde was on their tails and was enraged over the death of their Matriarch.

"Alright, when we get out we just keep running until we reach civilization!"

"It took us over a day to walk here! We have to stop eventually to rest!" Twilight yelled.

"Does it look like they are stopping!?" he pointed at the spider horde.

"But by going to the town we'll lead them into innocent ponies!"

"That town is one of the most heavily fortified in Equestria if you didn't know! Because of the threat of the Shadow Empire it's loaded with royal guards!"

"Let's hope they can stop this…"

They continued running south, they were all getting tired of running, yet after a while Platinum saw buildings.

"We're almost there everypony! Just a little further!"

They all began trying to pick up the pace to get to the town as fast as possible. Yet on the way Fluttershy fell and Platinum stopped and ran to her, "We need to keep moving!"

"I… I can't…"

He sighed, picked her up and put her on his back and tried to run, yet was encumbered with her on his back.

The spiders were catching up and Platinum was worried Fluttershy was over encumbering him.

"Platinum… just drop me… I'm slowing you down," Fluttershy said.

"No! You're a friend… I'm not going to drop you…"

"They'll get us both if you don't…"

"Not in the sky…"

He began trying to fly, and despite being very slow with a whole pony on his back he was high enough to the point the spiders couldn't jump high enough to get them…

"I… I can't hold you forever…"

"We're… almost there…"

Platinum began growing weak, and was slowly losing altitude to the point the spiders could jump high enough to scratch at his legs.

He eventually fell under the weight and they both hit the snow hard, and neither could get up.

The spider horde was getting very close, and Platinum said, "I… I'm sorry… I never should have brought us up here…"

"You needed too… you needed to figure out what happened to your father…"

His father… the image put itself into his head.

"Son… if we fall… we pick ourselves up…" the memory said.

He pulled himself up and put Fluttershy on his back again, and began using all his will power to stay standing. The spiders were getting closer and closer and the town was getting closer and closer.

"I don't think we'll make it…" she said.

"We will… We have too!"

He then saw the ice.

"Fluttershy, I'm going to throw you!"

"What? Don't do that!"

"You have to listen to me! It's the only way we can get through this! Will you trust me?"

She stared at him for a few moments and nodded her head.

When they got in the ice he threw her off so she slid across the ice at a speed faster than the spiders, most of who couldn't walk on the ice.

The mob was stranded on the ice and Platinum looked at them.

"Good bye you beasts…" he said digging his spear into the ice.

The ice cracked and broke, and the horde of spiders began falling into the water. A few escaped, and seeing the hopelessness of the situation they began running back to the hive.

Platinum limped his way to the town where he saw Fluttershy face down in the snow.

"When we see others fall… we help them get up…" he held out a hoof and she took it and he helped her up.

The others ran over and Twilight said, "You made it! I knew we would!"

"Sure you did…"

"Well at least it looks like you got over your fear of spiders…"

"Not at all… they still scare me to death… I just had a moment of courage…"

"I'm sorry about your father Platinum…" Rarity said.

"It's no problem… I should have expected as much. However something very important is in my possession now…" he said holding up his father's power amulet, "Let's go home everypony…"


	8. Chapter 8: The Griffon Pegasus games

Platinum threw his spear at the dummy, charged up to it and kicked it in the head.

"Not fast enough…" he said to himself. He took the spear out of the shoulder and went back to his starting position.

He threw it again and got the dummy in the neck before using his hind legs to kick it in the head, causing the head of the dummy to be ripped off.

"That's the thirtieth dummy I've destroyed…" picked up his spear and put it against the wall. He unstrapped his armor and put it in a chest before walking out of his house.

He began walking through town. The hype of him being there had since died down and he was no longer chased. He found his friends in Sugar Cube Corner and walked over to the table.

"Platinum!" Rainbowdash exclaimed, "Aren't you excited for the Griffon Pegasus games this year!?

"I am in fact…"

"Excuse me, what are these Griffon Pegasus games?" Applejack asked.

"The name explains it all. It's a bunch of competitions between griffons and pegasus ponies…" Platinum said.

"I just feel sorry for the poor sap that's in the Primus…" Rainbowdash added.

"Actually Rainbowdash… I'm in the Primus…"

Both Rainbowdash and Fluttershy had horrified looks on their faces when they heard this and Twilight asked, "I'm sorry… but what happens in the Primus?"

"The Primus is a fight to the death between the greatest pegasus and the greatest griffon…"

"Haakon will kill you!" Rainbowdash said.

"He won't…"

"I'm sorry for all the questions, but who is Haakon?" Twilight asked.

"The greatest griffon warrior…" Platinum said.

"He's won for seven years in a row! He's killed some of the greatest pegasi ever known in those seven years!" Rainbowdash added.

"Well… you shouldn't have a problem; you have your power amulet…"

"Actually I won't… magic of all forms is banned and that counts as magic… the punishment for using magic is disqualification and execution…"

"What if you die out there?"

"I won't… Haakon might have killed seven before me… yet I'm a Victory… we're made for things like this…"

"Oh, are you sure you could? I've heard horrible things about Haakon…" Fluttershy said.

"Heard? You mean you haven't been to the games?"

"Oh I have… every pegasus has… but I never watch the Primus… I can't watch that…"

"Well Platinum, I'm sure you'll do fine…" Rarity said.

"He's just a stupid griffon… they're all the same, stupid and arrogant. I shouldn't have a problem."

"What's with the hate on griffons?" Twilight asked.

"I've had to deal with griffons before… they're rude, arrogant, stupid, bloodthirsty and pathetic. The griffon king Ozymandias is the worst of the bunch…"

* * *

"Alright everypony… are you all ready?" Platinum asked.

He was in full armor, yet instead of holding his spear he held a practice stick. Six other Ponyville stallions stood in front of him with wooden swords wearing their own armor. Twilight and the rest sat on the sideline and watched.

The six nodded their heads and charged Platinum, who flew up and landed behind one, kicking him in the back of the head and using the stick as a club to hit him off balance. Another charged and Platinum hit him in the side of the face with the stick and used it as a real spear to stab him in the side.

Two more came in and swung their swords at Platinum yet he stopped one with his stick and moved his head to the side to avoid the other, and used his leg to catch one of them off balance and then jabbed the end of the stick into the others face.

The last two circled around him and moved in unison to try and keep him off guard, yet Platinum dug the stick into the ground and pole vaulted into the air and used his falling momentum to kick one of them.

The last one charged and tried to swing the sword at him yet Platinum lowered his head and ran past him, took the stick out of the ground and when the last one charged at him he moved out of the way of the sword, grabbed the other pony by the head, forced the sword from his hand and threw him into a rock.

All six were down and Platinum drove the stick into the ground.

He walked over to his friends and took off his helmet before saying, "How was that?"

"45 seconds flat," Twilight replied.

"I can do better…"

"Don't over extend yourself… we need you to be one hundred percent on the day of the games… I mean we don't want to lose a friend…"

"No worries… I'll be fine… I've seen Haakon fight, sure he can take a lot, yet I can take him…"

"Take a lot? You mean survive death!" Rainbowdash said.

"Survive death? That must be an exaggeration…" Twilight said.

"It isn't…" Platinum started, "He took a spear through the shoulder once, nearly got his heart, yet he pulled it out and kept fighting, and ended up killing that guy… His wound healed rather quickly after that…"

"How is that possible?"

"Don't ask me… my plan isn't to wear him down, that is what the other seven tried and it didn't work… my plan is to take his head off… I want to see him survive that…"

* * *

It was game day. This year the games took place in Canterlot and the competition was fierce… the racing, wrestling, and other athletic competitions were currently taking place, and Platinum was preparing for the Primus, which was the last event.

"A wonderful day to see another one of Equestria's champions die isn't it Celestia?" King Ozymandias said.

The two shared a booth that offered the best view and Celestia replied, "Not this year…"

"Tell me… who is our victim… I mean your champion this year?"

"You will have to see when he comes out…"

"It is no matter… Haakon will have an easy time with him surely…"

* * *

Twilight and her friends sat in a booth next to Celestia and Ozymandias' booth and watched the events.

"Griffons always win wrestling… I don't know why we bother with it… we lose every year…" Rainbowdash said.

"We might get a strong pony eventually…" Twilight said.

A few minutes passed and all the events were over, and the field was being cleared for the Primus to take place.

"Girls… I need to go… I can't watch this…" Fluttershy said.

"Oh come on Fluttershy! Platinum needs moral support out there! What if he looks up here and sees one of us missing and it disheartens him!" Twilight said.

"Oh, I'm sure he wouldn't notice me missing…"

"I would prefer it if she left…" Rarity said.

"Rarity you're still holding a grudge about what happened in the cave?" Twilight said.

"Oh why of course I am Twilight Sparkle! She is trying to steal my one true love from me!"

"No! You are trying to steal him from me!" she countered.

"Both of you be quiet! If you want to leave Fluttershy then go ahead, they're about to start…" Rainbowdash said.

"Go and leave, let him know you're a coward and aren't loyal enough to watch him fight for his life…" Rarity said.

Fluttershy sat back down and began shaking as the horns began blowing symbolizing the Primus was about to begin.

King Ozymandias stood up and said to the crowd, "Ponies and Griffons!" a heavy, deep music began playing as Ozymandias took a pause to allow the gate to open and said, "Please join me in welcoming the griffon champion! Haakon!" he elongated the a in Haakon while he yelled it out to the crowd. All the griffons began cheering and most of the ponies stayed silent.

A heavily scared and battered griffon with a sword walked out into the arena.

"That is Haakon? He is ugly! I mean look at all those scars!" Rarity complained.

He eventually reached the center of the arena and dug his blade into the ground and the crowd settled down.

Ozymandias sat back down and the music was replaced by ancient chorus music. "Ponies and Griffons… Please welcome the pony champion this year…" she took a pause to allow the gate to open, as everypony watched intently to see who their champion was for the year. "That champion is someone that everypony should know and hold close to their hearts… Platinum Victory!"

Platinum walked into the arena and the crowd exploded with cheering.

"Platinum Victory? You brought a Victory into the Primus!? How could you do such a thing?" Ozymandias complained.

"Scared Haakon will finally fall?"

"No… not at all… this will just be his greatest triumph yet…"

The two faced off in the center of the arena and Princess Celestia and King Ozymandias said in unison, "Begin!"

Platinum raised his spear and Haakon pulled his sword out of the ground and the two began circling the other.

Platinum kept his breaths steady and focused on his goal, which was winning…

Haakon made the first move with a strike forward that was a fake in an attempt to get Platinum to react, yet Platinum did not.

Haakon made another strike forward, making it appear to be fake, yet Platinum ducked his head out of the way and jumped to the side.

"Platinum Victory… you will be a good kill… yes a good kill… I will eat your heart out of your body…" he said.

Platinum ignored the talk and began thrusting his spear forward at fast speeds, which Haakon easily dodged. Platinum saw an opening instantly and used his spear to thrust forward, yet when Haakon jumped up to dodge it Platinum charged under him and kicked in in the chin before he hit the ground, causing him to go flying a few feet to the side.

Platinum followed up with a pole vault kick into his face and then used the spear as a club and hit him in the side of the head.

Haakon took staggering steps back and Platinum charged forward. Haakon reacted fast enough and jumped to the side and took at jab at Platinum with his sword, which Platinum barely dodged.

Platinum thrust forward with his spear again yet Haakon jumped to the side as Platinum predicted he would and Platinum ran up next to Haakon and kicked him in the side of the head causing him to stagger back a few steps.

Platinum wouldn't let up and grabbed Haakon by the tail before flying up twenty feet and throwing him into the ground.

He flew down at all speed and the spear punctured Haakon's gut. Platinum pulled it out and took a few steps back.

Suddenly, Haakon stood back up, and said, "Is that all you got?"

* * *

Ozymandias was pleased… he stared at the unicorn whose horn had just stopped glowing as Haakon stood up and gave her an approving nod.

With this pony healing Haakon while the fight went on, it was only a matter of time before Platinum was worn out…

* * *

Platinum had no time to talk as Haakon threw his sword at Platinum who jumped out of the way at the last moment, yet the sword still got a small cut along his side.

Haakon charged forward as Platinum readied his spear, yet Haakon jumped over him and landed behind him, picked up his sword, and tried to stab Platinum in the back.

Platinum ducked at the last second, grabbed Haakon's arm and threw him over him.

Haakon instantly got up and charged Platinum, who used his spear as a club and his Haakon in the side of the head.

Haakon was unstirred and took a swing at Platinum and got a significant cut along his chest and kicked out one of his legs.

Platinum rolled out of the way before Haakon drove his sword into the ground were Platinum had just been less than a second ago.

He drove the sword into Haakon's hind legs, as it went through them both, and pulled it out before using his spear as a club again to hit him in the back of the head.

Haakon fell to the ground, yet got up a few seconds later.

"This isn't possible…" Platinum said to himself.

* * *

"How is he doing that?" Twilight asked.

"No pony knows. We all just know that Haakon is the most powerful griffon alive…" Rainbowdash said.

Twilight caught a unicorn out of the glimpse of her eye and saw her horn glowing.

"Girls… I think we might have a cheater… I notice that unicorn's horn glows every time Haakon gets back up…"

"You're insane!"

Yet as she said that Platinum drove his spear into Haakon's shoulder, kicked him in the face and pulled the spear out.

Haakon fell to the ground, yet the unicorn's horn began glowing again and Haakon stood up.

"They are cheating!"

"Well… I say we go teach that pony a lesson!" Rarity said.

Twilight, Rainbowdash and Rarity left the booth to get to the unicorn while the other three stayed in the booth.

* * *

Platinum took a few steps back and continued panting. He had cuts all over his body, and although Haakon was much worse than him, he acted like he was fine.

Haakon charged Platinum who jumped to the side and tried to jab his spear through Haakon's neck, yet Haakon ducked and tried to take Platinum's legs off with his sword.

Platinum barely moved out of the way, yet got another small cut on his front left leg.

He continued panting as the griffon fans watched in excitement, and the pony fans watched in horror.

* * *

Twilight walked up to the unicorn and said, "So what are you doing?"

Rainbowdash and Rarity sat on opposite sides of her to prevent her from leaving and she said, "I am just watching the game…"

Suddenly Platinum got his spear through back and kicked him away.

The unicorn panicked and quickly used her magic and suddenly Haakon got up.

"So what was that?"

"Nothing… nothing at all…"

"I think it was you using your magic to heal Haakon…"

"Why would I do that?"

"Why would I know? Maybe for some money? Yet either way, you're going to come with me…"

Rarity and Rainbowdash dragged her out of the stands.

* * *

Fluttershy tried her best not to watch, but she did anyway, and she was horrified as she saw Haakon take blow after blow and get up, while Platinum take blow after blow and appear like he was about to fall.

Platinum kicked in the face and Haakon grabbed his legs and threw him to the side.

Platinum lost hold of his spear and his helmet came off as he hit the ground.

Platinum struggled to get up, and Haakon walked over to him, and lifted his sword ready to drive it into him.

Fluttershy covered her eyes unable to watch what was about to happen. Yet she opened them when she heard ponies cheering.

Platinum had grabbed the arm Haakon was holding the sword in before he could bring it down.

The two continued the struggle until Platinum used one of his legs to kick Haakon off balance.

Haakon dropped the sword which Platinum took and thrust it through Haakon's wing into the ground trapping him in place.

Platinum walked over to his spear and picked it up and said, "Get up from this…" as he drove it into Haakon's neck.

Haakon began choking on his own blood as Platinum pulled the sword out of his wing and cut off his head with it.

The pony crowd cheered while the griffons were shocked at the result.

Fluttershy turned her head away from the gruesome scenes the ancient chorus music came on once again.

* * *

"Princess Celestia, can I say something?" Twilight said walking into her booth.

"Oh Twilight, you just missed it, Platinum removed Haakon's head…"

"He did? That's like, awesome!" Rainbowdash said.

"We have other matters… We found this unicorn using a healing spell on Haakon through most of the match… I believe she might have done it in the past seven games too…"

"False!" Ozymandias yelled, "First you kill my champion, then you go and say that he cheated this whole time? How dare you!"

"Actually…" the unicorn interrupted, "I was using my healing spell on Platinum Victory… it was why he was able to get up to catch Haakon's sword…"

"See! Platinum Victory must be executed for this!"

"Princess Celestia, she's lying! She is probably on his pay roll!" he pointed at King Ozymandias.

"Lies! I demand Platinum Victory be executed this instant!"

"Princess Celestia you have to believe me…"

"This unicorn is no griffon… why would she betray her pony kin?"

"Because she wanted whatever you had to offer her!"

"I have heard enough!" Celestia interrupted, "Platinum Victory will not be executed… I will trust a fellow princess of Equestria before any king of the griffons…"

Ozymandias then yelled to the crowd of griffons, "My kin! We have substantial evidence to support that Platinum Victory was cheating, and Princess Celestia will do nothing about it because he is one of her people! We will not be disrespected this way! I demand that all of you go into the arena and kill him yourselves!"

The griffons cheered and began running into the arena. Platinum flew to the pony crowd who moved to protect him and a huge fight broke out.

Princess Celestia then yelled, "Griffons and ponies! I can assure you Platinum Victory did not cheat! I have reason to believe it was in fact Haakon who was, and that he also was the last seven games!"

This caused the fight to get worse as Ozymandias then yelled, "She has her biased opinions! Kill Platinum Victory now!"

Princess Celestia gathered the royal guard and had them try to break up the fight, yet the griffons began attacking the guard too, who were forced to fight back with force, and ended up killing dozens of griffons, which caused the rest to scatter.

"Celestia… you have killed my people…" Ozymandias said.

"It was your doing… you called the mob…"

"You murdered civilians with military personal… I take that as an act of war…" he flew into the air and yelled to his people and the ponies, "Princess Celestia has shown her aggression against our mighty race for the last time! My people will no longer stand for this! From this day onward, we declare war upon Equestria, and all its inhabitants!"

The griffons cheered as everypony watched in horror.


	9. Chapter 9: Hearts and Hooves Day

Three days. Three long and dreadful days… Platinum sat on the bench at the train station waiting for two certain ponies to arrive. They always hung out on Hearts and Hooves day, mostly because the two couldn't find their special somepony, and although Platinum did more often than not, he didn't spend time with them because he simply wasn't interested in them. All they care about was money, social status, and having the best clothes, which Platinum was tired of.

The train arrived and the ponies on it got off. Platinum searched through the crowd yet couldn't find the two he was looking for.

"Maybe they actually got dates…" he said to himself.

"Really Platinum? You think we could get dates?" a voice behind him said.

He turned around and saw two earth ponies standing there and said, "Well Gold… I still say you shouldn't worry, you'll probably find somepony eventually"

Golden Life was all white with a gold colored mane and green eyes, his cutie mark was a piano.

"Star… still driving them away?" Platinum asked.

"They still think I'm crazy and unmanageable…" he replied.

He was all black with red tips on his mane and tail, and red eyes. His cutie mark was a violin.

"Someponies just aren't cut out for love…" Platinum said taking a jab at them.

"Apparently you aren't either because every time you get somepony you get bored and leave them in tears and for the few you do like you drive them away without meaning too…" Gold said.

"Perhaps… but you never know what might happen this year…"

"Same thing as always, we get drunk and bring mares we have never seen before home with us… and then wake up in the morning trying to figure out what we did the night before, then realize all our money is gone and the mare we brought home actually has a boyfriend that we stole her from…" Star said.

"Of course my money isn't all gone…" Platinum said.

"Because you have so much of it… yet you look at your bills and they add up to what, around a thousand bits?"

"Well… let's make it different this year…"

"You said that last year, yet you ended up having some really strong liquor, won around ten thousand bits in blackjack, had five mares come to a hotel room you rented, when they were asleep you leave and end up in a fight with a Wonderbolt who was found with two black eyes and a cracked rib in a dumpster, then you go to a donut shop, were you somehow managed to get the waitress and owner to go with you to a different hotel room, after that you left them and fell asleep on a park bench…"

"Wait, how do you know all this? I don't even remember it…"

"We decided to stay sober and we followed you all night. It was actually quite entertaining…" Gold said.

"And you didn't try to help me out?"

"Dude… you had seven mares in one night… would you really have wanted us to stop that?"

"Yes… because I found a bunch of money in my mane that morning…"

"They paid you? Damn… Anyway… how is this town for the night life?"

"It's nothing like the big cities… I think we might not have another one of those nights…"

"Well that's good… I think those nights were starting to hurt our reputation…"

"So Platinum… see any good looking mares?" Black said.

"One or two… but I still haven't met many ponies in this town…"

"Well who is the best looking one?"

"I have my own personal opinions… I would rather keep it to myself…"

"Well, you should at least introduce us to the friends you got here…"

"Well… I guess I could… I'm not sure what you would think of them though…"

"Oh come on! Any friend of Platinum Victory is a friend of ours!" Gold said.

"Well… I'm not sure they would like the subjects you bring up…"

"Ahh they won't mind… any guy wouldn't mind…"

"You see, there lays the problem… They're mares…"

"Damn boy! You pimpin them hoes out?"

"No… and please refrain from using hoodlum talk… after all… you guys make calm relaxing music… not that rap garbage that some ponies make… so don't try to act like them…"

"Well… can we at least cuss around these mares?"

"Nope… sometimes I do, yet that's only in situations where I am really angry…"

"You know what; they have to accept us for who we are…" Star put in.

"Besides… when did you start getting all proper? Did staying with these mares make the great Platinum Victory soft? Do you have your eye on one of them?"

"They aren't making me soft… and it is none of your business what I think of them…"

"That's a yes… I thought you still had it for Princess Celestia…"

"That was the past. I stopped after she began insulting me practically every day. I don't think anything could make me love her again."

"Keep driving them away Platinum…"

"You know… you guys are asses sometimes…"

"You're losing yourself Platinum… we used to say things worse than this and you knew it was all friendly jabbing… now you're all defensive…"

Platinum took a few deep breaths and said, "You're right… I am becoming soft…"

"Just introduce us to your friends… You never know, they might like us…"

* * *

Platinum knew he would regret this, but knowing Gold and Star, if he didn't introduce them then they would find his friends themselves. At least this way Platinum could make sure they didn't do anything too stupid.

He found them exactly where he expected them, at the park with their pets.

He began walking to them and Gold whispered, "Damn, them? Not bad Platinum… not bad…"

"Shut up…" he snapped.

They walked over and Platinum started, "Everypony… I would like you to…"

"I think we can introduce ourselves Mr. Victory…" Star said.

"I'm Golden Life…"

"I'm Black Star."

"Well… hello I guess… What do you do?" Twilight asked.

"I play the piano…" Gold said.

"I'm on the violin..." Star added.

"Yeah… they're my friends from Vanhoover…" Platinum said.

"Well… why did you come here?"

"Every year on Hearts and Hooves day the three of us get together for some partying!" Gold said.

"Oh! I love parties!" Pinkie exclaimed.

"Not those types of parties Pinkie…" Platinum said.

"I would assume that if you played the piano and violin it would be more of a formal party?" Twilight asked.

"Not even close…" Star said.

"Oh no…" Platinum said to himself.

"We would go crazy! Drinking the finest whiskey and bringing the finest hoes home with us."

"Excuse me, what did you just say?" Rarity said obviously angry at the term.

"Nothing important… but last year, Platinum somehow got seven of the finest I have ever seen!"

Platinum wanted to kill himself when he heard that, and the six looked angrily at him.

"So that's what our friendship is all about? You are trying to take us all "home"?" Twilight said.

"No! I swear I changed…"

"Oh really? What proves that?"

"If I had wanted to do what you accuse me of, I would have either done it already, or left. Besides, if I didn't consider you my friends I never would have been able to even get that small moment of courage to fight the Matriarch, which I did to protect all of you… Tell me, if I was trying to take advantage of you would I have done that?"

They six thought about it a few moments until Gold finally said, "But Platinum told me this town doesn't really offer much in terms of the night life… So what do you ponies typically do on Hearts and Hooves day?"

"Absolutely nothing of worth… because we don't really have special someponies.

"Well? Do you six realize I'm not taking advantage of you?" Platinum asked.

"I think you managed to talk your way out of it…"

"So Platinum, do you want to get a drink?" Star asked.

"No thank you… If I got one I would have another, then another…"

"You're no fun… but you will on Hearts and Hooves day?"

"Unless I magically get a date who can actually keep me interested… then I probably will…"

* * *

"Well that's just fine dandy ain't it…" Applejack said.

"It is disturbing that Platinum does what his friends claim he does, and the fact that he admits it," Twilight said.

"Well, you heard him, he said he changed and he gave a good reason as to explain why," Rarity said, "Besides… if he has that kind of experience then he must be amazing in bed…"

Fluttershy thought about that for a few moments and then got angry, "If you put one hoof on him I'll…"

"You'll what?"

She stared for a few seconds and backed off and Rarity began laughing, "Fluttershy darling… you must realize that you just aren't assertive enough to get him! After all there is the saying behind every powerful stallion is a powerful mare, I don't think you would fit into that category…"

"Both of you stop! Why would you argue about that now?" Twilight asked.

"Because Twilight, Hearts and Hooves day is in three days and Platinum Victory doesn't have a special somepony to spend it with…"

"You two are ruining your friendship over this! We have done what we have done because we are friends, not because we did it for some stallion!"

"I didn't start it, she did…" Rarity said.

"Don't you see what you're doing Rarity? Both of you are responsible for our fighting… Besides, if you both do like Platinum, you'll let him decide who he is with for himself, if he picks one of you then great, if not then oh well…"

"How dare you say such a thing Twilight Sparkle! You would have me just sit here while he is with another mare? I say no to that!"

She got up and walked out saying, "Now I am going to go find him…"

Twilight groaned and said, "Fluttershy… you can go too…"

* * *

Platinum sat against a tree on the edge of the Everfree forest. His friends were right, he was getting soft. It obviously was because of his new friends. His new friends liked how he is now, while his old ones liked how he used to be, and there was no visible middle ground.

Gold and Star had been his friends since he was just a little colt, yet the other six had saved his life from a dragon even though he had caused their friend horrible distress.

Perhaps he was falling for one…

No what was he thinking? He couldn't be… Yet the more he thought about it the more it began to appeal…

"No…" he told himself. He knew he would eventually need to have an heir, but with whom?

"A strong mother, who wouldn't abandon him or her like my mother abandoned me…"

Maybe now was the time. His father was only a year older than Platinum when he had gotten married.

He had three days until Hearts and Hooves day; perhaps he could find somepony in that time…

He stood up, stretched out his back and wings and began flying into Ponyville saying to himself, "Well Platinum, give it a shot, it can't be that bad…"

He thought for a few seconds and asked himself, "Do I want love purely for the purpose of usefulness, or because I really have fallen for someone?"

He couldn't come up with an answer as he wasn't paying attention to where he was flying and he crashed into Sugar Cube Corner and fell to the ground.

He got up and rubbed his head, "I need to pay attention to where I am going…"

At that moment he saw ponies beginning to gather around the town hall for something, and Platinum decided to investigate.

"Ponies of Ponyville!" The Mayor announced, "As you all know Hearts and Hooves day is in only three days, so I have taken the liberty of planning a Hearts and Hooves day dance that night! Love in the day and dance the night away!"

Nearly everypony supported the idea, Platinum was the reason it wasn't everypony. This meant that all the mares would be at the dance, and likely the bars would be closed.

"Damn it that means I have to go…" he returned to his thought of whether his love should be for the needing of an heir only, or because he submits to such an emotion?

"I sound heartless…" he told himself. He began his walk back to his mine home.

* * *

Two days, and now Platinum felt sick to his stomach. Gold and Star came to his door early in the morning and told them that they had dates to the dance already.

"What? Tell me what mare would go with you two?"

"We can have hearts sometimes Platinum… besides, it's what happens after that we care about…" Star said.

"Is it anypony I know?"

"Not that we know of, you can know for certain that it isn't one of your six hoes… I mean friends…" Gold said.

"Well you two have fun… I'll probably just sleep through the day…"

"Ahh come on Platinum… it can't be that hard to get a mare for a simple dance… just ask one of your friends if you can't find anypony…"

"You're making fun of me aren't you? After all the years of me getting mares in a snap now that I seemingly am not you feel superior?"

"Actually… no. We get it, you are trying to change… and having two hugely different groups of friends is making this difficult on you isn't it?"

"When could you read minds?"

"I'm good with reading ponies expressions…"

"But he is right Platinum… we are making it difficult on you…" Star added.

"Well, I have no intention of losing any friends…"

They both took deep breaths and said in unison, "We have decided we need to change as well…"

"Oh really now… what makes you think you can do this?"

"Because we have a reason too… after all after all we can't be three without you…"

"Really? If you guys actually can change, then I'll be impressed…"

"Then we'll do our best to do such..."

"Well then, I'm going to go find a date… Please don't follow me; I don't want to be distracted…"

* * *

Platinum walked through town, yet unfortunately every mare he found already had a partner, and those that didn't fit the standards Platinum had set.

He went back to his thoughts from the day before, the six… Perhaps one of them was what he was looking for. He sat on a bench and began thinking about them. He put a few out of his mind and focused on others.

"Maybe I'm wasting thought…"

* * *

Rainbowdash and Fluttershy stood watching Platinum sit on the bench.

"Fluttershy you have to go to him!" Rainbowdash said.

"Oh… I can't… he doesn't like me…"

"You have too! I can't see him with Rarity! She'll brag to me about how I was wrong! You wouldn't want that would you?"

"No… but I can't do it…"

"Just ask him to go to the dance with you… if he goes with Rarity then I lose the bet!"

"What bet?"

"Alright… I made a bet with Rarity that she couldn't get Platinum… so you have to help me! I can't lose!"

"But I…"

"You have too! Now get out there!" she pushed her towards him and Fluttershy began a slow walk to him, worried that she would get rejected.

She took a look around and didn't see Rarity anywhere and continued forward.

She was right in front of him and he said, "Hello Fluttershy… can I help you with something?"

"Oh… I umm… I was wondering if… umm…"

"If what?"

"If you would… if…"

"Please get to the point…"

"I was…" she began thinking about Rarity for some reason, and it was her with Platinum, and how Fluttershy was stuck in the background.

"I was wondering if you would go to the dance with me…" she finally said.

He stared at her for a few seconds and Fluttershy waited for him to say no, yet he said, "Well Fluttershy… I think my answer is a yes…"

"Really? It is?"

"Yes, it is…"

She hugged him and said, "Oh thank you!"

"Umm… no problem? Just be sure to look your best…"

"Oh, I will…" She then fluttered off.

* * *

So… he was going with Fluttershy… He deemed it acceptable, she reached his standards.

He began walking home when Gold and Star intercepted him and Gold said, "So we saw you talking to one of your friends over there, and she hugged you…"

"Are you going to the dance with her?" Star added.

"Yes. I am…"

"We told you to go to one of them…"

"Actually, she came to me…"

"Oh you got them running to you!" Gold said.

"Ehh it's not like that anymore…"

"Well you still got something apparently… Anyway, good luck with the dance and the length of the day before the dance…" Star said as they began walking off.

He began thinking for a few seconds and asked himself, "Well, spending the whole day with her couldn't be that bad… I just hope she isn't clingy…"

* * *

The next day was completely uneventful for Platinum, yet the day after that was Hearts and Hooves day…

He got out of bed and walked into his bathroom. He combed his mane back and made sure both his tail and mane were perfectly sleek and smooth. He stretched his wings out to search for any faulty feathers and found none before cleaning off his hooves and making sure his coat was clean.

"As good as it will get Platinum…" he told himself.

He walked to the door and when he opened it he saw Fluttershy standing there, who was apparently trying to work up the courage to knock on the door.

"You know, I was actually about to go get you…" he said.

"Oh you were? I can go home and you can get me there…"

"No, that would be a waste of time. Besides, we need that time to get to know the other better… I don't think I can call you my special somepony just yet…"

"Oh, umm, alright I guess…"

They walked into town and Platinum tried to figure out what to do.

"Umm… what do the ponies here typically do on Hearts and Hooves day?" he asked.

"Oh I don't know… I've never had a special somepony so I wouldn't know…"

"Not even a stallion friend to spend the day with?"

"I don't really have any stallion friends… other than you…"

"Interesting… well is there anything specific you had planned?"

"Nothing really…"

Platinum groaned as he began looking around for something to do until he saw Gold and Star with their mares. They were pretty, but after looking back at Fluttershy he decided he had it better.

He continued look around until Fluttershy said, "Why don't we relax under that tree? No pony is there…" she said pointing at a tree in the park.

"Sounds like a decent idea… but maybe for after we do something… I see no reason to relax at the moment… Perhaps we should get something to eat?"

"Oh it's far too early for that…"

"Then how about you two compete in the couple competitions?" Gold said walking over with the mare.

"What competition?"

"There is going to be a game where there are a bunch of rounds and the pairs have to work together to get through them, it's quite simple, we are doing it ourselves…"

"Well how does that sound Fluttershy?"

"Oh, I don't know… I was never good with competitions…"

"Trust me; with me on the team, we'll win…"

* * *

Fluttershy had tried to talk Platinum out of it, yet his mind was set.

The first few competitions were more athletic and Platinum easily carried the team. Yet the fifth was completely different.

The host walked over to Platinum and Fluttershy and asked, "What do you both fear the most?"

"Dragons…" Fluttershy said.

"Umm… nothing?" Platinum lied.

"I know a lie when I hear it sir…" he replied.

"I'm… I'm afraid of spiders…"

"Dragons and Spiders… Very well, give me a moment."

He went behind a curtain and came back with a small cage full of spiders and let them out, "Get them back in the cage…" he said.

Platinum panicked and tried backing away, yet they began chasing after him until he had his back to a wall.

"Back you beasts!" he yelled kicking at them.

They began toying with him, going closer up to him and then jumping back before he could kick them away.

"Are you going to do anything?" the host asked Fluttershy.

She looked worriedly at Platinum and walked over to the spiders and said, "Umm… excuse me, all of you…"

The spiders suddenly stopped and stared at Fluttershy who continued talking, "I'm sorry to bother, but could you all be ever so kind to go back into your cage?"

They stared at her a few more seconds and then went back to harassing Platinum.

"Excuse me all of you…" she said again.

The spiders were getting annoyed and prepared to jump at her, yet she had her stare face on and they froze.

They quickly ran back to their cage and hid in the corner.

Platinum watched with a strange interest and said, "I honestly didn't expect that…"

"And now for the next one…" the host said.

The ground began shaking and Platinum put his game face on.

"Get behind me…" he said.

Fluttershy did as told and a large dragon came into view.

Fluttershy hunkered down and Platinum got a smile on his face.

"Bring it on…" he said.

He flew right at it, and ended up flying right through it.

"What?" he asked confused.

He flew back and the host said, "Of course we couldn't acquire an actual dragon… so we had one of our unicorns make an illusion… Yet you went to the defense of your partner, and that makes you pass this I think…"

"So what's the score then?" he asked.

"Platinum Victory and Fluttershy have five points. Everypony else, zero…"

* * *

"You now Fluttershy… you're a lot more interesting than I thought you would be…" Platinum said.

The two had gotten lunch after the last round and now they were sitting under the tree Fluttershy had pointed out earlier.

"Oh, I… I am?" she asked.

"Honestly I didn't think much of you before today… and apparently you can work your way with spiders… which I personally like…"

"Oh, well you were ready to protect me from that dragon…"

"Well then Fluttershy… let me make you a promise… I will do my best to protect you from anything, and everything…"

"Oh, you don't need to promise me that…"

"Actually I do. But please tell me why you decided to ask me to the dance over any other stallion?"

She froze for a few seconds and then started, "Oh, it's because I saw you had no one to go with and I decided to…"

"That's a lie and we both know it…"

"Alright it's because I…I umm…"

"You have no reason to be nervous around me…"

"I… I've always had a… crush on you…"

He thought for a few seconds and then said, "And when did this first come to heart?"

"Years ago… I watched your first race in Cloudsdale, the yearly pegasus fastest flyer competition. When you won everypony was amazed and you had your huge celebration… But when I saw you line up at the start, I had a feeling that you would win."

"You… you did? I remember that celebration… kissing that random mare in the crowd… I wish I hadn't closed my eyes when I had, I was never able to see her face…"

"It was me…"

"Really? What did I say then…?"

"One minute of courage, under your breath…"

"And fate brings us together… Do you know how earlier I said I wasn't sure if I could call you my special somepony just yet? Well… if you don't mind, I think I can call you it now…"

"I… I don't…"

He hugged her and said, "Well, it is getting late, we should be getting ready for the dance…"

"Oh, you're right; I'll go right away…"

They both got up and walked to their homes to get ready.


	10. Chapter 10: Rarity's Loss

Rarity lay on her bed crying her eyes dry.

"Rarity it isn't that bad…" Twilight said trying to comfort her.

"It is awful! I was just about to go up to him to ask if he would go with me to the dance and I see him hugging Fluttershy! I thought she would have been too timid to actually do such a thing!"

"Well you can't hide in here forever…"

"That is exactly what I plan on doing…"

"It's Hearts and Hooves day Rarity… surely there are other stallions out there…"

"It's Broken Hearts and Hooves day Twilight Sparkle… there are none that could compare to him…"

"Are you kidding me? There are bound to be better stallions than Platinum out there…"

"Oh but whom? How do you know Fluttershy wouldn't steal them too?"

"It isn't Fluttershy's fault… and I doubt she would go for anypony else…"

"And how would you know that?"

"They actually seem to fit well together from what I have seen…"

"Oh that's great… now I definitely have no chance…"

"Rarity, there are more stallions out there! It won't be as bad as you think it is…"

"You're right, it will be worse…"

* * *

Platinum had finished putting on his suit and looked at himself in the mirror. He decided he was looking well enough and began his walk to Fluttershy's cottage.

He walked up to it and knocked on the door after a short walk.

The door opened and Fluttershy stood there in a breezy green dress and Platinum said, "You're looking lovely…"

"Oh… umm… thank you…"

He walked her to the town hall where the dance was being held and saw it already had plenty of couples in it.

"We still got a good fifteen minutes before they start the music… let's just take a seat…" Platinum said.

* * *

Rarity walked into the town hall in her best dress. She might not have had a date, yet she would still be the best looking mare of the night. Perhaps if she looked better than Fluttershy, she might be able to lure Platinum to her…

If she could get one kiss from him while Fluttershy was watching… then he would be hers…

* * *

Fluttershy saw Rarity walk into the hall and began getting nervous after she saw how she looked.

"Oh… Rarity is looking beautiful tonight…" she said.

"She is, but still I believe the most beautiful pony here is sitting right next to me…" Platinum replied.

She froze for a few seconds then relaxed, after a few more minutes the music began playing and the pony couples took the dance floor.

Platinum stood up and held out a hoof, yet Fluttershy said, "Oh, we can just sit here…"

"Oh no, we came to a dance, so we're not going to just sit around…"

She sighed and got up with him and he led her out to the dance floor.

It was a simple slow dance, yet a few minutes in the music stopped and Pinkie and Gold took the stage.

"Are you ponies ready to rock!?" he yelled.

When the crowd cheered he started playing some heavy rock music and everypony began shaking their heads and other things ponies would do while they were at a rock concert.

Platinum saw how Fluttershy was uncomfortable and quickly led her away from the crowd and said, "I should have known Gold would do something like this…"

Fluttershy became upset as the night began continuing with no end to the rock and Platinum finally said, "Alright Fluttershy, come with me…"

He led to her an open field of flowers and told her to wait; he came back a few minutes later with a record player and set it to play a classical song.

"We'll have our dance here…" he said holding out a hoof to Fluttershy.

Fluttershy was amazed that he would go out of his way to do this, and she happily took his hoof.

They danced the night away until it was truly late and both began getting horrendously tired.

Platinum turned off the record player and began to walk Fluttershy home. They stopped in front of the front door and she said, "Thank you, for tonight…"

"It was the least I could do for a mare like you…" he replied.

After he said this he leaned his head in and kissed her before finally breaking off and saying, "I guess I'll see you later…"

He walked off and Fluttershy stood there, dumbfounded for a few seconds before walking into her home and getting into bed.

* * *

Fluttershy woke up in the middle of the night from Angel shaking her.

"What is it Angel bunny?" she asked.

It began pointing towards the stairs and when Fluttershy looked, she saw another pony standing there, yet she couldn't make out who it was from the lack of light.

"Excuse me… who are you?" she asked.

He gave no reply but instead began slowly walking towards her bed and he revealed a knife.

Fluttershy panicked and quickly opened the window and tried jumping out, yet the pony used his teeth to grab her by the tail and pull her back in before giving off a maniacal laugh.

Fluttershy watched in horror as he slowly brought the knife up, yet Angel jumped on the pony's back and distracted him long enough for Fluttershy to escape out the window.

The pony quickly through off Angel and jumped out the window after Fluttershy, who tried flying, yet apparently the pony chasing her could too.

She didn't know where to go, and looked behind her, seeing the pony in close pursuit, and slowly catching up.

She looked forward and tried to run faster, yet she wasn't a good runner, and slowly began losing breath.

She realized Platinum was her only hope, and saw the chaser continuing to get closer.

She ran to his house and began banging on the door desperately. Platinum opened the door after a few seconds obviously tired and annoyed he was being woken up, but before he could say anything Fluttershy ran into his house and slammed the door before falling to the ground tired from running.

"Care to explain why you're here?" he asked.

"There was a pony… in my cottage…"

"A pony in your cottage? Who?"

"I don't know… he had a knife… and grabbed my tail, he chased me here, and he tried to… he tried to…"

"He tried to kill you?" Platinum finished.

She nodded her head and began crying.

Platinum lowered himself to her level and hugged her saying, "Don't worry… I'm here… I won't let anything happen to you…"

"Can… can I stay here a few nights?"

"Of course you can…"

She followed him to her room after he bolted the door and said, "You can take the bed… I'll take the floor…"

His spear was sitting against the wall and he picked up and sat down next to the door.

Fluttershy got into his bed and tried to sleep, yet she just kept picturing that outline in her head. She looked over at Platinum who had fallen asleep himself and began to calm down. With him there she began feeling nearly invulnerable.

She finally relaxed enough to fall asleep.

* * *

Platinum watched as the dead body was dragged away.

"So officer… please explain to me what happened…" he said.

"Well, she was horribly mutilated and most of her blood was drained, we found this cup to be covered in dried blood… Her lips were also covered in her own blood.

"You're telling me the sick bastard drained her of her blood and made her drink it?"

"There is way too much blood loss for only her to have done so… He must have too…"

"Is there anything else?"

"He used the knife to carve something into the wall… follow me…"

He pointed at the wall and Platinum read it out loud, "Did you know that in the afterlife those you kill are your slaves? After this one I will have thirty four slaves when I die… Yet of course I want more… That one who escaped last night will be my best ever…"

Platinum turned around and made his way back to his house where he found Fluttershy waiting.

"He's a sick pony… he drains them of their own blood and forces them to drink it…"

"Oh… and he almost…" Fluttershy started.

"He said he's coming back for you…"

Her face lost its color and Platinum said, "Don't worry… he won't hurt you…"

"How can you know?"

"Trust me… he would have to go through me to, and I doubt he can…"

As he said that there was a knock on the door and Platinum went to answer, and Fluttershy followed.

When he opened the door a little filly stood there, covered in blood.

Fluttershy felt sick to her stomach and the filly said, "He's coming… he'll have his slaves… Both of you in the end… but tonight… he gets you…" she pointed at Fluttershy and continued, "Nothing will stop him…"

She fell to the ground and Fluttershy said, "Get a doctor!"

Platinum picked the filly up and pulled her eye lids shut. "She's gone… they couldn't do anything…" he said.

"He's coming for me…"

"Actually… we could use this to our advantage… If he comes for you, we might be able to trap him…"

"No… I can't do that… I can't go through that again…"

"Fluttershy, it may be our only way to get this pony!"

"No… I won't…"

He sighed and said, "Alright, we need to make everypony think you're in here, and I'll put you somewhere else. If he thinks you're here, maybe he'll come…"

"I won't have to be there?"

"No… but if you aren't I can't assure anything…"

"I don't want to do it… I'm sorry…"

"Then we'll just have to do a fake…"

* * *

Rarity covered her head when she went to the alley. She saw the pony she was looking for standing next to a trashcan drinking red fluid out of a cup.

"You did right in bringing me here…" he said.

"No! I told you to simply try and scare Fluttershy! Not try to kill her, or anypony else!"

"Yet you didn't say not to either… I've done my job, I've scared her, and whatever it was that you wanted from it is done. But she embarrassed me by getting away. No pony as ever gotten away from me… Now I'm going to kill her and her little boyfriend slowly and painfully, and when I'm finally dead they'll be my slaves…"

"No! Don't you dare touch Platinum Victory!"

"A Victory's blood will taste amazing… I thank you for bringing me here, and for that reason alone I am letting you live, and am giving you the opportunity to leave before I kill you…"

"What? I would never!"

"This town is mine, tell everypony that…"

"I would never do such a thing!"

"Oh but you will… unless you don't care about your little sister and her two little friends…"

"You took Sweetie Bell?! You are a liar!"

"Oh really? Then explain how I came into possession of this…" he said throwing the CMC cape to the ground.

"You… monster! I'll tell the authorities and…"

"And you'll never see your little sister again… You are in a situation you cannot win… Face it… I have won already… now tonight I am going to kill that Fluttershy and Platinum Victory, and you cannot do anything about it, and if you try to warn them, or anypony else, I will make you watch as I kill your sister and her friends… Besides, they're fools for thinking they can trick me into thinking they are where they aren't…"

He walked deeper into the alley and Rarity stood unable to do anything.

"What have I done..?" she asked herself.

* * *

Platinum sat on a cloud over his house waiting for the killer to arrive. He had gotten nearly everypony in Ponyville convinced that Fluttershy was in his house at the moment.

He continued sitting, and began wondering if Fluttershy was alright. He had hid her in Twilight's library, and Twilight was with Platinum keeping an eye out for the killer.

"Where is he..?" he asked.

"I don't know… maybe he has a set time?"

He began getting worried his plan had failed, and was about to go to the library to get Fluttershy and tell her that he was still out there. Yet he saw a pony walk near the mine, and when Platinum was about to pounce he saw the pony was a mare unicorn who was simply trying to find Platinum.

He instantly recognized it as Rarity and flew down and asked, "What are you doing here Rarity? We're trying to catch a Serial Killer…"

"You won't… he already knows about your plan, and he knows exactly where Fluttershy is…"

"I would ask how you knew this, but if what you're saying is true, then I have to go help her…"

"Platinum please don't kill him! He took my sister and her friends, and only he knows where they are!"

"I'll do my best…"

* * *

Fluttershy sat on Twilight's bed. The lights were off to make it seem like no pony was home, yet with no light, and with Platinum away she felt very vulnerable.

She looked out the window for a few moments to see if anypony was coming and saw nothing. She turned around to see the outline of a pony standing there.

"Platinum?" she asked.

"No… worse…" he replied.

Fluttershy backed up against the wall and the killer had cornered her.

"You didn't think I would just leave you did I? No pony has ever escaped from me… NO PONY!"

Fluttershy began whining and was stuck in a corner.

"Oh did my yelling scare you? I find it funny how my yelling scares you when I have a knife to your throat…" he said putting the knife to her throat.

"Oh I wonder how your blood will taste… Would you like a taste before I end your miserable little life?"

She didn't answer and he then yelled, "ANSWER ME PONY!"

She still didn't and closed her eyes waiting for something to happen.

"Oh a silent one… Haven't run into one of these in a while… Tell you what… I'll let you live a while longer so that you can watch me kill Platinum Victory, then after I believe you have suffered enough you will die…"

* * *

Platinum ran into the library and yelled out Fluttershy's name, and got no response. He went up the stairs and saw the pony holding a knife to Fluttershy's throat.

"Ahh Platinum Victory… I have been expecting you…" he said.

Platinum held up his spear and said, "Let her go…"

"You are in no position to be making demands…"

Platinum stared at the knife and the killer said, "Now drop the spear, and I won't kill her…"

"Don't…" Fluttershy said, "He'll kill you too if you do…"

"Oh no, I wouldn't… You're my only leverage for escape…"

"You can stop him… either only I die, or both of us do…"

"You can either have her die, or give her a possibility for survival for letting me take your life… Mr. Victory… Make your decision, and don't keep me waiting…"

Platinum looked at the killer, then at Fluttershy, and then back at the killer.

He looked down at this spear and threw it to the side.

"Good…" he said pushed Fluttershy to the side and charging at Platinum, who easily grabbed the limb holding the knife and broke it against the railing in a split second.

The knife fell to the floor and Platinum grabbed the pony by the hair and bashed his head on the railing saying, "You really think you could ever have a chance at trying to kill me? Do you know who I am, or what I can do? I have never seen such stupidity in my life, and you won't live long enough to fix it!"

He threw him against a bookshelf and the killer tried to stand, yet Platinum gave him no break and picked him up again, holding the knife the killer had dropped ready to kill him when Fluttershy said, "No Platinum don't!"

Platinum stared at her before dropping the knife. When he did the killer began laughing and coughing up blood.

"You lose Mr. Victory… You'll never see them again…" the killer said.

At that moment Platinum instantly remembered what Rarity had said about her sister and her friends and yelled, "Where are they!?"

"You really think I would tell you?" he spat on him.

Platinum punched him again and then dragged him off to his house and tied him to a pillar upside down and said, "You are going to tell me where they are…"

"Really? You think you can scare me? I know you won't kill me…"

"I'm not going to kill you, but you're going to beg me to soon…"

"Oh? And why is that..?"

"Because I am depriving you of what you practically need… the blood that you never stop drinking…"

"What!? No you can't! I need blood to survive!"

"Not my problem… unless you are willing to tell me where they are…"

"I will never tell you…"

"Have fun waiting here then…" he said leaving the room.

"You can't do this to me! You can't!" the killer tried to argue, yet Platinum simply ignored him as he locked the door behind him.

* * *

Two days had passed and Platinum knew he was almost out of time. He went into the room the killer was still in and heard him screaming loudly. Yet Platinum didn't care.

"Give up yet?" Platinum asked.

"Never you fool! I won't tell you!" he yelled at him with clear desperation in his voice.

"You're going to tell me…"

"No I won't… you can't win Platinum Victory… they will die alone where they are… dehydration should

"If you don't tell me where they are, I will make sure you don't die, but never get any of your precious blood… Unless you tell me, you will begin to suffer more and more until you finally die…"

"I… I won't…"

"If you tell me… I will let you go, and you can gather more slaves for your afterlife, or you can decide to not tell me and suffer in here for the rest of your miserable life…"

"You're lying… you wouldn't let me go!"

"It's the only chance you have though…"

"I won't…"

"Then you will suffer down here…" he said beginning to walk off.

"Wait! I'll tell you…" he said before Platinum could leave.

"Where are they?"

"Evergreen Street… in the abandoned sewer storage beneath the road, unit 26…"

"Thank you… I'll let you go when I return, to make sure you weren't lying…"

* * *

Platinum Victory ran through the sewers to the abandoned storage units until he came to unit 26. The doors were only able to be opened from the outside, so it was an obvious place to trap someone. He opened the door to unit 26 and found the three waiting there, horribly beaten up and obviously tired, and starving.

"Platinum? Is that you?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Don't worry you three; I'll get you all out of here…"

He picked all three up and put them on his back as he carried them out, bringing them to their guardian or parents.

After they expressed their "unmatched gratitude" Platinum went to the room he locked the killer in.

"So, you got them?"

"Yes… I did…" You won't be locked up in here anymore…"

He punched him in the face knocking him out and dragged him away.

* * *

The killer woke up and was hanging upside down over a cliff. He was completely tied up to a branch that overlooked it and began trying to get free.

"I told you I wouldn't hold you in there anymore…" Platinum said.

"You tricked me!"

"No… you just assumed… have fun out here… forever…" he said as he began to walk off.

"I'll kill you! I swear I will! And that pony Fluttershy too!"

"Good luck with that…"

* * *

Rarity sat on her bed thinking about what to do. Her sister was back, and her attempt to get Platinum Victory to be with her was all but gone.

She had caused a pony to be murdered, and almost lost her sister… perhaps Platinum Victory wasn't for her… she wasn't sure if she could break him away from Fluttershy…

Besides, she knew that she was a beautiful mare; it shouldn't be a problem to get some other stallion…

Yet what if the same thing happened? No, surely it couldn't…

She had decided. She would forgive Fluttershy, she couldn't lose a friend… she would let no pony know what she caused and she would forget about it. She would find the right stallion eventually…

* * *

**Just a small authors note... I normally don't do this but whatever. I apologize for the lateness of this, yet the truth is I procrastinated... Also I will no longer have a set date for when chapters come out, I will release them whenever I feel they are ready, I felt rushed through almost the whole story so far and I believe that it hampered what I wrote.**

**Also to those of you waiting for the "episode like" air of the chapters to be gone, don't worry, the main plot will come into play very soon...**


	11. Chapter 11: A Brothers Rage

Razgal remembered the day like it was yesterday. He remembered one of his pony slaves who who had been the messenger between him and his brother walked into his cave with his head town apparently scared, even more so than usual.

"What do you have?" Razgal demanded.

"Your brother… he's… dead…" the pony replied.

It was like a dagger in his heart and he didn't believe it. "And who would do such a thing? Nothing could have killed my brother! Nothing! How dare you lie to me about such a thing?!"

"It… it was… Platinum Victory…"

Razgal's eyes opened wide as a single tear fell from his eye to the ground. Platinum Victory was the only creature he knew that was capable of killing his brother.

His brother had been the only thing he cared for, he might have been considered a leader to all the dragons, but he didn't care about any of them save himself, and his brother. Yet now it was only himself…

Why would Platinum Victory do such a thing? He knew that Platinum Victory didn't kill often, and when he did he had a reason.

His heart was empty, yet was quickly replaced by rage and in his rage he picked up the messenger pony and ripped him apart, savoring the screaming and imagining it was Platinum Victory.

That had been the past, and now Razgal was ready to exact revenge… Despite his want for revenge, he still questioned why Platinum Victory would kill his brother…

His brother had been no killer…

But Razgal was…

He had had many of his slaves observe Platinum Victory over the past few months, and he had finally determined that the best way to hurt Platinum Victory, was to rip out his heart, like he had done to him…

His slaves had told him he had fallen for a young pegasus named Fluttershy, and Razgal knew he could use this to his advantage…

* * *

It had been two months since Platinum had fallen for Fluttershy. Yet in those two months Platinum had yet to say, or hear the words, "I love you"…

He wondered if it was too soon… maybe it was, he wasn't used to long term relationships, only very short ones, and he was still very interested in Fluttershy for a strange reason…

He was walking to her house to get her for a picnic they were supposed to have today. He knew the perfect spot and wanted to make sure she got the best.

While walking through Ponyville he was intercepted by a unicorn who said, "Where are you going Platinum Victory?"

Platinum recognized him as Night Light, a pony that he personally despised.

"I am heading to Fluttershy's cottage, so please stand aside…" Platinum replied.

"No! I have let this go on long enough! You will never talk to her again, or else!"

"Oh really? What is a pony like you going to do?"

"I'll… I'll fight you!"

"Don't embarrass yourself… but please tell me, why don't you want me to go?"

"Because she's mine! I've watched her ever since she came to Ponyville, which was long before you even knew she existed!"

"So you've been stalking her… you know I don't take kindly to that…"

"Just leave her alone! She's my soul mate! I just feel it in me that she is!"

"Funny, she says the same thing about me… now stand aside…"

"No! She's mine! So just leave her!"

"You had so much more time than me, yet you never made a move... how sad…"

"Shut up! She's mine, now just go!"

"You know I never needed to make a move either, she came to me… You have no chance with her, so just give up Night Light…" he said while walking around him to get to her cottage.

Night Light was left speechless as Platinum worked his way over to Fluttershy's cottage.

He knocked on her door and a few seconds later it opened and she walked out holding the basket in her mouth.

"Just follow me… I know the place…" he said.

After a few minutes they reached the spot, which was a cliff overlooking a lake in the middle of flatland.

Fluttershy quickly unrolled the blanket and they both sat down. Platinum then said, "Such a beautiful view…"

"Oh, why yes… the sun reflecting off the water and all the critters playing in the fields of flowers…" Fluttershy replied.

"I hope you know what I'm looking at Fluttershy…"

She then turned her head to see him looking at her.

"Oh umm… thank you…"

"All you can say is thank you?"

"Oh… I'm sorry… I just never know what to say…"

"Well there is something you could say… three simple words are all I need…"

Fluttershy instantly knew what he meant, "Oh I… umm… Platinum Victory… I l…" she started.

Yet she was interrupted when the ground started shaking and she instantly grabbed onto Platinum in fear.

Suddenly a giant serpent jumped out of the ground and at Platinum, who quickly pulled himself Fluttershy out of the way.

"Alright Fluttershy I need you to run!" he said.

She did as told and quickly began running to Ponyville, yet a dragon swooped in from the air and picked her up while Platinum was distracted with the serpent.

Platinum assumed that since the serpent had no wings he could use his own to his advantage. He flew up high, yet the serpent jumped out of the ground high enough to grab him by the leg and pull him to the ground and held him to the ground.

He was slowly breaking free of the serpent's grip, yet saw Fluttershy being carried away by a dragon. He did his best to break free yet was worried he couldn't in time.

"Fluttershy don't worry, I'll come get you no matter where they take you!" Platinum yelled.

After a few more seconds he broke free of the serpents grip and flew after the dragon, whom he was slowly catching up with.

"Damn it… Hey Slak, take the load for a minute!" the dragon yelled.

He threw Fluttershy to the serpent, and it dug underground away from sight.

Yet Platinum rammed into the dragon, used his speed to uppercut it, and flew back a hundred or so feet. He then bolted forward as fast as he could, easily breaking the sound barrier and going right through the dragon's neck.

The dragon fell and Platinum was covered in its blood. He began searching frantically for Fluttershy for the whole day and found nothing.

He had told her he would find her, and he wasn't going to give up. Yet the problem was he didn't know where to look… why had a serpent and dragon tried to kidnap her?

He needed help in searching, and his friends were obvious choices.

"What do you mean she's been kidnapped?" Twilight said.

"Oh I don't know, maybe because she was taken against her will!" Platinum said.

"Well then where did they take her?" Rainbowdash yelled.

"I don't know! If I did I wouldn't be asking for your help in trying to find her! Now we have no time to waste!"

"Platinum, she is our friend, but it's too late to go out now, who knows what is lurking in the night…" Twilight said.

"Oh, Princess Twilight Sparkle backing down from protecting one of her subjects, and her friend? How disgusting…"

"We have to sleep! Even you do! We'll find her in the morning…"

* * *

"Very good Slak… a pity your partner couldn't make it…" Razgal said to the serpent.

"Of course O powerful Razgal… I would do anything for the most powerful dragon in existence…" it replied.

It then left the room and Razgal looked down on a terrified Fluttershy and said, "So you're the pony that Platinum Victory is in love with…"

"Oh… I'm not…" she barely managed to let out.

"DON'T YOU DARE LIE TO ME!" Razgal yelled.

"Oh… umm… I meant I don't think he loves me… I mean he's never said it…"

Razgal began laughing and said, "I wouldn't have gone through the trouble of kidnapping you if he didn't… Besides I've watched Platinum Victory before, if he didn't then he would have left you already… But don't think that he will fly in and save you… Platinum Victory is no match for me…"

"How do you know?"

"Because I defeated him before…"

"Then why isn't he dead?"

"Because he was saved by Princess Celestia at the last moment…"

"Why are you so against him?"

"Because he killed my brother… do you remember the dragon that he brutally murdered?"

"He saved us from it…"

"My brother was no murderer! And Platinum Victory will suffer for killing the one thing I cared for! Now I suggest you go to the slave chamber before you anger me to the point of me murdering you before our guest arrives…"

* * *

Platinum searched for four more days and was still unable to find her. He knew he was losing hope, and believed that he had no chance of finding her.

He punched his wall in frustration and just kept punching it, hurting his hoof yet he didn't care… He had lost the one pony he thought he could ever fall in love with… he had to admit, he already had…

And now she was gone…

He walked through Ponyville and Night Light came up to him and said, "This is all your fault…"

"Shut up Night Light, you couldn't protect her from a fly…"

"Apparently you couldn't either… I don't know how you tricked her into falling for you, but when I save her, she'll be mine."

"Oh, good luck trying to save her… Because you clearly fight serpents everyday…"

"Clearly you don't, otherwise you would have stopped it…" he said walking off.

He was right. Platinum should have been able to stop it, but he didn't… Maybe he was a failure…

Maybe he should he should just give it up…

No… he refused to give up. He would find whoever took her from him and kill whatever or whoever is was…

He searched around town for something that could help him search when he saw a newspaper with a very interesting headline.

He took a look at the newspaper and knew exactly what he had to do. He put on his armor and power amulet and picked up his spear.

"Serpent causes tremors in Baltimare…" he said to himself.

* * *

Slak was doing what he did best, destroying things. He wasn't proud with what he had to do with those two ponies, but he was basically a slave to Razgal. He had killed the one that Slak had loved and forced him to work for him under fear of death.

Slak despised Razgal, and Razgal knew it, yet didn't care. He knew that if Slak betrayed him he could easily kill him.

And now Slak was destroying Baltimare. The Royal Guard could do nothing to stop him, and Slak knew he would easily be able to topple the city.

Yet out of nowhere he was kicked in the face by a powerful force and went flying back. He saw Platinum Victory and quickly dug into a hole and began jumping out where Platinum least expected it.

Yet Platinum wised up and knew that Slak would come from behind and kicked him right in the face. Slak tried to dig into the ground again but Platinum grabbed him by the tail and threw him to the side, before grabbing his tail again and dragging him away from the city.

Now Slak was scared, and didn't know what to do. Platinum threw him against a rock and held him against it by the neck and yelled, "WHERE IS SHE!?"

"Come on Platinum we can work this out!" Slak said.

"WHERE IS SHE!?" he repeated.

"I don't know!"

Platinum bashed Slak's head on the rock over and over and said, "Tell me… or else…"

Slak's head was pounding, and he knew that he had to…

"Alright, alright… I was told to kidnap her… by Razgal…"

"Razgal? You mean the dragon?"

"Yeah, the most powerful dragon alive…"

"You will bring me to him, or else…"

"Oh, umm of course… But can I go after?"

"Yes…"

Slak then began leading Platinum to the far east of Equestria…

* * *

It took hours, yet the two reached the coast and then continued into the water. And after a short while they saw an island and Slak then said, "That's Razgal's domain… I'm going now…"

He swam away and Platinum flew as fast as he could to the island to see a giant church like structure that was apparently abandoned and he flew in through an open window.

He saw Razgal waiting at the end of the giant hall with Fluttershy next to him.

"Ahh Platinum Victory… I've been expecting you… little Fluttershy here missed you…" Razgal said.

"Razgal, why are you doing this?"

"You killed my brother! He did nothing!"

"He tried to kidnap all of Ponyville!"

"And do you know what I would have done? I would have killed everypony in Ponyville! Not taken them as slaves!"

"Your brother deserved what he got…"

"You will die this day Platinum Victory!"

Platinum readied his spear and flew at Razgal.

Razgal tried to swat him like a fly, yet Platinum was too small and too fast compared to Razgal to get hit. He tried to jab his spear into him, and he got a good hit on the back, yet even when he drove it in as far as he could he hit nothing vital, and Razgal almost smashed Platinum against his back.

If he couldn't use his spear to kill him, then how could he? He flew back around a hundred feet and bolted at Razgal, breaking the sound barrier and ramming right into his neck, yet Razgal only took a few faltering steps and Platinum took a much worse recoil from it.

Razgal got a lucky backhand on Platinum sending him to the ground. Platinum tried to get up yet Razgal breathed fire on him and then picked him up by the tail.

"Oh a pity… poor Platinum Victory can't win…" Razgal said.

As he said that Slak slithered in and Razgal said, "Very good job bringing him here Slak… You played to the plan perfectly…"

"Of course great Razgal…"

Platinum gave him an evil look, yet knew he was in position to get revenge. He saw Fluttershy watching in horror and knew that he had failed. His first major failure and it would be his last…

* * *

Slak watched Razgal hold Platinum Victory, ready to rip him apart when apparently Razgal changed his mind.

"No… I will make you suffer, like I have…" he said. He threw Platinum into a wall and picked up Fluttershy and said, "You killed the only thing I cared about… so I will kill the mare you love…"

He opened his mouth ready to devour her when Platinum rammed right into the side of Razgal's head.

He dropped Fluttershy and took a few staggering steps to the side. Platinum grabbed Fluttershy and flew behind some rubble.

Slak slithered over and he heard him say, "Alright Fluttershy, I need you to free all his slaves."

"Oh… I don't think I can… who knows what is there?"

"You have too; you hated being here, imagine how they feel. I'll stop Razgal…" he flew out at Razgal and dodged a back hand and hit him in the chest, causing him to take a step back.

Platinum then dodged a fireball from Razgal and tried to ram into his leg, yet Razgal simply lifted his leg up and Platinum's momentum brought him too far and into a pillar, which collapsed upon him crashing into it.

Razgal then picked up Platinum and said, "Apparently I have to kill you first… I'll make it hurt…"

He readied his claws to rip him into pieces, yet upon Slak looking at Fluttershy who was watching in horror, and how Platinum was making the last thing he saw the one he loved, Slak was reminded of his own love, and how Razgal killed her.

"I'm dead if I do this…" he said to himself.

Yet Slak knew that he had too, he wouldn't allow Razgal to do what he did to him.

He dug into the ground causing a tremor in the area which collapsed a few of the pillars, one of which fell on Razgal, causing him to drop Platinum and take a few seconds to realize what was happening.

"Slak you traitor!" he yelled.

Slak then jumped out of the ground ramming right into the face of Razgal causing him to fall back.

Slak slithered over to Platinum who was just finished yelling at Fluttershy to save the slaves and said, "I… I'm sorry…"

"I don't know what you're trying, tricking me, a power struggle with Razgal, but I don't care… Just keep doing it," he replied.

He flew at Razgal who took a swipe at him yet missed and Slak drove into the ground and caused a cave in at Razgal's feet, causing him to fall again.

Platinum moved away from Razgal and began breaking all the pillars, and Slak instantly knew what he was doing. Collapsing the building would be a good way to take out Razgal one and for all, yet he had to make sure Fluttershy got the slaves out first.

Slak continued distracting Razgal while Platinum broke the last pillar. Although the building didn't collapse, it would take very little for it to do so…

Platinum broke down the last pillar and then rammed into Razgal, who quickly reacted and swatted Platinum Victory away and grabbed Slak by the tail while he was digging into the ground.

He pulled Slak out of the hole and grabbed both ends of him and ripped him into two pieces, and threw the pieces to the side.

"This is what happens to traitors! Now you die Platinum Victory!" he yelled.

Platinum knew he had to break the building, yet he didn't have the force to do so, but Razgal did…

"Come get me then…"

Razgal charged him, yet Platinum flew to the side and Razgal took a swing at him and missed.

Platinum then rammed into Razgal's chin and kicked him in the neck with all his force before dodging a huge swipe at him.

"Too slow…" Platinum said.

Razgal charged him again and Platinum flew to the side, and Razgal charged again, yet when Platinum moved to the side Razgal's momentum brought him too far and he crashed into the wall, which then collapsed on him and the building began falling down.

Platinum quickly flew out a window, ignoring the glass and breaking through it, while Razgal was stuck in the building and was caught under the falling stone.

When the dust cleared Platinum flew over the rubble and saw Razgal, covered in it yet somehow still alive.

Platinum realized that Razgal couldn't keep fighting in his current condition and knew that he hadn't failed as he thought he had.

He landed on Razgal's snout and said, "Alright listen here Razgal…"

"Just kill me…" he said.

"I am not going to kill you… however… you will do as I say or else I will… You will never harm another pony again, you will never come into Equestria, you will tell all your lackeys to avoid Equestria, and any slaves you might have you must release…"

"You're going to allow me to live, so I can suffer under oppression from you and guilt that I couldn't avenge my brother…"

"No… it's because there is a certain mare that I care for, and she has expressed to me dozens of times about how she hates me killing things… If I didn't care for her the way I do… then you would be dead…"

He flew off and found the crowd of slaves at the coast and began searching for Fluttershy in the crowd.

However she ended up finding him.

"Platinum! You did it…"

"Of course I did, because this time I had a true reason to… and I will let you know that I didn't kill him…"

"You didn't?"

"You told me you hated it and that you wanted me to stop, so I respected your wish…"

He picked her up and said, "Because you aren't fast enough to keep up with me, this is the best way to travel…"

He began flying over the sea towards Equestria and she asked, "Where… where are we going?"

"Ponyville of course…"

"Oh…"

"You want to go someplace else?"

"To where we were before I was taken…"

Platinum flew to the cliff side and they both sat down.

"I believe you were about to say something before we were rudely interrupted…" he said.

"Oh… umm… I… I love you Platinum Victory…"

"I love you too Fluttershy…"

He kissed her and she held onto him.

"I always will…" he finally said.


	12. Chapter 12: Black Chaos

The Shadow failed with possessing Platinum Victory… but now Platinum Victory had shown a weakness… His heart was vulnerable to loss of a mare he loved named Fluttershy, and now the Shadow needed way to figure out how to exploit it…

Killing her wouldn't work, as there were no ponies that he would be able to possess who could stand up to Platinum Victory, and those that could he couldn't possess…

Making her lose her love for him was a plan he had made earlier, yet she had a strange resistance to possession, likely from Platinum's power amulet feeding off his love for her to protect her from corruption…

Possessing Platinum Victory again wouldn't work as his friends would simply use the Elements of Harmony on him again…

The Shadow was stuck. His master was getting displeased with his lack of progress, yet the Shadow just didn't know what to do…

If only the Shadow were a pony… he would be able to kill Platinum Victory himself, or possibly corrupt him…

Corrupting him was his master's main goal, however he would accept if the Shadow was forced to kill him instead.

The Shadow slipped into a small tavern in Canterlot looking for a random pony to possess to cause trouble amongst the living ponies, and found a unicorn that had seemingly powerful magic.

It was easy to possess him and he quickly began causing ruckus and killing ponies in the tavern before two royal guards came in and were forced to kill him, yet not before he got one of them.

The Shadow counted the death toll was at nine, which was good for one day as a regular pony…

The Shadow slipped into Canterlot castle and had a stroke of luck. He found Discord in a rather chaotic room working with something that the Shadow wasn't interested in.

He dug into his mind and discovered deep emotions for Fluttershy, and the Shadow knew exactly what to do. He knew he wouldn't be able to possess Discord if he was unwilling, but if he was willing… then he would make an excellent puppet…

* * *

Discord was getting bored of being "reformed". The tasks he was given were boring and simple, and he desperately wanted to see Fluttershy again... He was stuck on that though when he began hearing whispers in his head. "Who's there? Celestia?" he asked into the air.

The whispers were still there and Discord still couldn't understand them, which began frustrating him. Yet before he could do anything about it he finally heard, "She can be yours…"

"Mine? Who? What?" he asked into the air.

"Power, complete chaos in Equestria… and that one mare that somehow got away…"

"Mare who got away? Is this Celestia pulling some sort of prank?"

"Celestia is powerless to stop my master… It would be wise to make him your master as well…"

"Master? I have no masters… And what could Celestia possibly be powerless against?"

"The Great Horror…"

Discord's heart froze. If he feared anything, it was the Great Horror.

"You fear him… as you should…"

"You lie…"

"Why would I lie? We both know you're tired of being locked away and treated like a pet by Celestia…"

"Why, that is a lie. Fluttershy has shown me that… friendship is magic…"

"Yet friendship has not stopped my master… But that I can offer you something… Of course you know Fluttershy, your one friend in all Equestria…"

"What are you trying to offer?"

He suddenly got images of Platinum Victory with Fluttershy, him holding her, kissing her, and numerous other things…

"So? She has found some stallion, what do I care?"

"You would do anything to keep her as your friend… he is spreading lies about you, ruining your friendship, and we both know you want to take his place in these images…"

"What? I would never…"

"Don't lie… I can feel your emotions… I can hear your every thought… Join me… together we can remove Platinum Victory from the picture, and you can have your prize, both Fluttershy, and a kingdom of chaos…"

"I… I will work with you…"

If the Shadow was a pony, he would be grinning, because with Discord as a puppet… he would be a force to be reckoned with…

"Wait, how can we stop them? Those ponies will just use the Elements of Harmony on me again…" Discord said.

"We will remove one of them from play, and then they are all useless… Fluttershy's will be the easiest to take…"

"What about Celestia, Luna, or that Platinum Victory?"

"We will need allies for that… you see despite your strengths you cannot take all of them alone… however allies are plenty… they have made many enemies over the years and we will get them all on our side…"

"And who would they be?"

"King Sombra and Queen Chrysalis of course…"

"Aren't those things that these ponies have already defeated?"

"Alone, and with luck… but all of us… along with my master to guide… we will be unstoppable…"

"What exactly are you plans for Equestria?"

"For it to be once more ruled by darkness… and to free my master from the curse the first Victory put upon him…"

"You said I would have Equestria…"

"And you shall, but of course you will be a subject to my master…"

"I never agreed to be a subject!"

"Let me remind you, Celestia is over eager when it comes to executing those who are corrupted… if she senses me, she will not hesitate to kill you… not locking you in stone, but simply ending your life…"

"So my only option is to side with you…"

"Of course it is… now let us go steal an Element of Harmony…"

* * *

Platinum ran at the dragon, dodging its fire balls and its attempts to grab him. He flew up and it sent a huge stream of fire right at him. Yet Platinum simply began spinning as he flew right at the flames and when the flames got near him, the movement of the air from him spinning caused the fire to go around him and spin with the air, completely missing him while he rammed right into the dragon's face.

The dragon took a few steps back and Platinum drove his spear into one of its eyes, pulled it out, and stabbed the other one.

The dragon screamed in pain as Platinum flew behind its head and kicked it with all his force causing it to fall forward.

He flew to its throat and drove his spear into it, making sure to twist it and stab it multiple times to make sure that its air pipe was completely gone.

The dragon then fell onto its back and was obviously dead. The citizens of Las Pegasus cheered for Platinum Victory as he looked down on the city. Four bodies of dead dragons lay there and he was covered in blood.

Celestia had decided he needed to get back into fighting the monsters that threatened Equestria and despite his arguments; he was forced to do so for the past month.

He flew back to Ponyville and landed in the town square and began walking to his home, still wearing his blood covered armor and his spear at his side.

He walked past his friends who sat at a table and watched him walk by.

"Why is he covered in blood, and call battered and bruised?" Rainbowdash asked.

"Princess Celestia has forced him to fight the monsters that attack Equestria…" Twilight said.

"Oh I hate it when he goes out… he always comes back bruised or hurt and it just… kills me inside…" Fluttershy said.

"Well he has too Fluttershy… imagine if those beasts just went rampaging through Equestria…"

"I know it's just… I know he is starting to hate killing now because of me, and when he comes back I can tell how depressed he is about it, and then he always pushes me away when I try to comfort him…"

"Taking a life of well… anything can take a toll on the one who did… unless they're psychopaths… I'm sure he'll be fine though… He has done what he does now most of his life…"

"But he's only just now starting to be affected by it, and I think it's because of me…"

"Actually Fluttershy, it is… each Victory is permanently connected with their power amulet, and when a Victory develops deep emotional feelings for anypony then the power amulet connects with that specific pony allowing the Victory to feel that pony's emotions as if they were his own, to give him insight into if the pony that the Victory cares for is in danger. It's a really complex system, but to make it short, you control his emotions to a certain degree, and since you are depressed about how he has to fight those monsters, he is too…"

"How do you know that Twilight?" Applejack asked.

"I still have the job of making sure he doesn't fall to corruption, and emotions play a big part in that, so I had to study it…"

"So it's all my fault?" Fluttershy asked.

"It's not that hard to fix… just do something that makes you happy, and it will rub off onto him…"

* * *

Fluttershy walked into her cottage and was surprised to see Discord lying back on the couch.

"Oh Discord! What are you doing here?"

"What? I'm not allowed to visit my friend?"

"Oh you are… it's just… I wasn't expecting to see you…"

"Is something troubling you?"

"Oh… it's just somepony I know…"

"Is this pony named Platinum Victory?"

"Oh, why yes, it is… do you know him?"

"Not him… I met one of his ancestors… before I was turned to stone the first time…"

"Oh, would you like me to introduce you to him?"

"That would be lovely…"

"Alright, follow me and I'll bring you to his house…"

* * *

Platinum sat on his bed. He had cleaned his armor of the blood and now he was simply doing nothing. He didn't know what to do. Before he had been forced to start fighting all these creatures he would be with Fluttershy after doing his normal tasks. Yet now his new found depression was taking a toll on him, and he was afraid it would lead him to having a horrible anger outburst where he would say or do something that he would regret later.

Maybe all he needed was some TLC…

His thought process was interrupted when he heard a knock on the door.

He went to it and wasn't surprised when he saw it was Fluttershy.

"Oh Platinum! I have somepony I would like you to meet."

"Is this really necessary?" he asked.

"Oh of course it is. Platinum, meet Discord."

Platinum took a few steps out and took a look at Discord and instantly recognized him.

"You mean the one that you locked in stone, and apparently reformed?"

"Yes."

Platinum stared at him for a few seconds and said, "I don't like him…" and walked back into his house.

"How rude!" Discord said.

"Oh I'm so sorry… he's been under a lot of stress, he isn't normally like this…"

"Well I doubt how he normally is could be much better!"

"Please give me a moment to talk to him…"

* * *

She walked into his house and found him in his room sharpening the tip of his spear.

"Why are you being so rude to him?" she asked.

"I have my reasons…"

"Reasons? You've been too distant lately! What have you even been doing? And why are you sharpening your spear at now of all times?"

"So it can slide through Discord's skin better…"

"You're going to try to kill him? Platinum no! He's my friend!"

"Something like that doesn't just change! He obviously lied to you when he said he was reformed all that time ago! I know what things like him are, and how they think! They don't ever give up what they love to do for anything!"

"You're wrong! He's my friend, and he gave up what he did for that!"

"He obviously lied to you… You're so naïve Fluttershy, wake up and smell the roses! The world isn't this perfect place you think it is!"

"Maybe it would be if ponies like you didn't have to resort to violence like you are now!"

Platinum ignored that comment, picked up his spear, put on his power amulet, and began walking to the door. Yet Fluttershy blocked the way and said, "No! You aren't going to hurt him!"

Platinum's anger continued to build and he threw his spear into the wall, causing it to dig into it, a feat most ponies couldn't dream of doing.

"Fluttershy… I don't know what to do…"

He went back and sat on his bed and shoved his face in his hooves.

"Platinum… please don't shut me out… let me help you…" she said sitting next to him.

"No… just go…"

"Please… let me help you get past whatever is troubling you…"

"Please leave…"

"No, I love you Platinum, please… don't push me away…"

Platinum's rage continued to boil and then he yelled, "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

Fluttershy was overcome with fear and quickly ran out crying, right past Discord and to her cottage.

Discord knew that he has no better opportunity and went to the library where the Elements of Harmony were being kept.

* * *

Night Light sat on a bench and was thinking about what he saw earlier. Fluttershy running out of Platinum's house crying… surely that meant that their relationship was fragile at best at the moment…

Yet did that give him the opportunity to move in? Maybe he should let it deteriorate more, or perhaps if he waited they could make amends and he would have missed an opportunity…

Night Light didn't know what to do… his soul mate was waiting for him, but should we wait a little longer to answer the call?

He had to wait, Platinum Victory didn't seem like the type to make amends, and Night Light would let it boil over…

* * *

Discord snuck into the library, avoid Twilight Sparkle's owl and moving ever closer to the case holding the Elements of Harmony.

He threw a dead mouse into the next room and the owl chased after it and Discord moved up to the case.

"Heh heh heh…"

"Remember… do not even give them a chance to find them this time, no riddles, no games…" the Shadow said in his head.

"You're no fun, besides, what's the challenge if they have no chance?"

"Challenge does no matter… Honor in victory… not in fighting fairly… that is what made you fail last time… learn from your mistakes… If they were to even get a hold of them for a second, this will all have been for naught…"

"Fine, we'll have it your way…"

He opened the case and whisked the elements away to a location the ponies would never find them.

"Now then, how shall we start this?"

"First we must gather allies to ensure that the powers of Celestia are no match for us… then we will topple her from the throne, either convert, or kill Platinum Victory, and free my master from the curse which keeps him locked in his castle…"

* * *

"Oh, it was horrible… we were both yelling, and it was so loud… I don't know what got into me…" Fluttershy said.

"He's probably just under a lot of stress…" Twilight said.

"Oh, I don't know… he was insulting me…"

"And what exactly did he say?"

"I'm naïve… and need to wake up and "smell the roses"…"

"Well, how rude of him!" Rarity said.

"Oh, did I mess up everything?"

"Oh don't worry Fluttershy; he'll certainly come crawling back to you, and when he does, be merciless, and only accept him back if he promises with all his heart to never do such a thing again!"

"Oh, I don't think I could be so harsh on him…"

"Oh but you have too! After all, we've seen him take the dominant hold in your relationship…"

"You've… what? How would you know?"

"Oh why… umm… it's you of all ponies Fluttershy! So of course I would suspect…"

"What Rarity is trying to say… is that yes, we have been watching you two… but not for the reasons you might think…" Twilight said.

"After they learned about Platinum's… troubled past with other mares… they wanted to make sure he didn't do something similar with you… after I go over my rejection I joined them… it was purely to protect you from being used Fluttershy… we couldn't see our friend get hurt…"

Fluttershy looked at her friends and how sincere they were and said, "Thanks… but I don't think he'll want me back after today…"

"Do you want him back?"

"Yes… he's the only stallion I ever loved and after feeling it… I don't think it can come again…"

"I would normally argue with that, but this time I won't… trust me, he'll come back to you…"


	13. Chapter 13: The Power of Chaos

Discord had taken the Elements of Harmony out of the picture, and now he simply was to gather his allies, and eliminate Princess Celestia.

"Ahh, this place will be so great for chaos…" he said to himself.

"You don't even know true chaos…" the Shadow said.

"Excuse me? Do you know who you are talking to?"

"I know perfectly well… but if you want true chaos… just watch…"

Images flooded Discord's head of a city in flame and dozens of shadow ponies massacring the inhabitants with no apparent order to it.

"This is true chaos Discord… your form of chaos is weak…"

"I am forced to do this?"

"To an extent… we will leave most of the killing to the grand army of my master when it arrives… but you will still be expected to kill a fair bit…"

Discord was led to the frozen north; near the Crystal Empire in search for King Sombra, a corrupted king and servant of the God of Darkness. He had been failed twice already, and this would be his last chance to redeem himself.

The King sat in a cave, and looked like he was apparently meditating.

"King Sombra I presume?" Discord asked.

His eyes opened and he moved to try to attack Discord, yet the Shadow then took control of Discord's body and said, "Stop you fool! If you dare attack a fellow servant of the Great Horror then you shall be ended…"

Sombra stopped in his tracks and the Shadow continued, "Now Sombra, you have already failed us twice… we will offer you this one, last chance to please the God of Darkness…"

Sombra bowed his head and the Shadow continued, "Now then, we have been granted a possible avenue of victory, yet we must work together, and with more allies to achieve it…"

"Wwwhhheeeen weee sssucceeeed… Myyyy cryssstaaalsss and sssslaaaaavessss…"

"You will have the Crystal Empire, don't worry about that… but yet we must gather more allies to better our chance of success… we have already removed the Elements of Harmony from the picture… now all we need is to remove the Princesses and Platinum Victory from the picture and they will have nothing that could stop us…"

* * *

Fluttershy sat on her couch, just waiting for something to happen. And something indeed happened, she heard a knock on her door and it didn't take a genius to guess who it was.

She opened the door and saw Platinum standing there and said, "Oh… you're back…"

"You don't sound happy…"

She noticed her friends behind a bush and remembered Rarity had told her to be merciless, and only take him back if he swears to never do it again.

She took a deep breath and then started spouting off, "Well maybe you shouldn't have yelled at me. What did I do to deserve being treated that way? You're nothing but a big bully using what he can do to put himself above others!"

Platinum looked like he wanted to start yelling yet instead he calmed himself and said, "Fluttershy… if you didn't already know you're in my head… It affects me…"

"What does that…?"

"I love you Fluttershy… The fault for yesterday is all mine…"

"Well… that umm… doesn't explain why you did it…"

"I was stupid, I admit it. Yet when I told you to get out of my house, I did that to keep to my promise… that I wouldn't let anything hurt you, and that includes me… I told you to get tout because I was afraid I would have ended up hurting you, and that was the only way to get you to leave before I did… I was mad, and I was, as I already said, stupid for trying to hurt your friend and not even give him a chance…"

"I… I don't know what to say…"

"Do you need me to remind of you those special words?"

"Oh… I love you Platinum Victory…" she said hugging him.

* * *

"Oh so romantic." Rarity whispered.

"Platinum is apparently a really manipulative talker…" Twilight said.

"Well, he has Fluttershy basically wrapped around his hoof…" Rainbowdash said.

"Oh but she has him wrapped around her hoof! Didn't you hear what he had to say?"

"Yeah… let's just hope it's true…" Twilight added.

* * *

Discord and the Shadow had gathered their allies. King Sombra and Queen Chrysalis would be good pawns, but the Shadow assured Discord they would be dealt with after Equestria was shrouded in darkness.

"Now we confront Celestia…" the Shadow said.

"Are you sure we can?" Discord asked.

"We will have no better opportunity… my master's army is already marching south from the Shadow Empire to take control… we just need to fulfill the tasks I have stated. Remove Celestia, and convert or kill Platinum Victory…"

"Why would we bother converting him?"

"He is valuable to my master's future plans… for taking the lands beyond Equestria, yet he understands his ability to… resist corruption… so killing him is not out of the picture…"

"How are we to defeat Celestia?" Chrysalis asked.

"You defeated her, before you lost to the same power you fed on… yet you still defeated Celestia… I suggest you feed off another powerful bond… that of Platinum Victory himself, and his lover Fluttershy… I have a feeling they will be more than enough, besides, you could very well make Platinum a puppet, or make him useless to the enemies cause… Sombra… you shall distract Princess Cadence and Shining Armor at the Crystal Empire so they cannot defeat Chrysalis again… just do what you did before, distract them. Of course you must first wait for Discord and I to remove the Crystal Heart, and when we do nothing will be stopping you… And Chrysalis, make sure your little Changeling army keeps the royal guard distracted long enough for my master's army to arrive…"

"If we know what we are to do then what are we waiting for?" Discord asked.

"Nothing, get into positions… I will contact you when you are to take to your task…"

* * *

"They're gone!" Twilight yelled running to her group of friends at Sugar Cube Corner.

"Gone? What's gone?" Platinum asked.

"The Elements of Harmony! All of them have gone missing!"

All of them looked shocked except for Platinum who said, "You know, I find it funny how Discord comes to town, the Elements of Harmony go missing, and so does Discord…"

"You think he took them?"

"Who else would have any desire for them?"

"But I thought Fluttershy reformed him!" Rarity said.

"I knew I should have just ended him while I had the chance…"

"No, he wouldn't do that…" Fluttershy said.

"Care to tell me who else would then?"

"I… I…"

"You can't come up with anything? Then yes, it's Discord…"

"Oh, maybe it was a mistake?"

"Tell me, why would he take the Elements of Harmony by mistake? And why would he leave Ponyville after he took them instead of returning them if it was a "mistake"?"

Fluttershy didn't bother to continue the argument and Platinum said, "Alright, we need to find Discord, and get the Elements back, and we need to warn Celestia of this…"

"What if it isn't Discord though and we send a faulty report?" Twilight asked.

"Then I will take the blame…"

* * *

Discord slipped into the Crystal Castle without being seen by the guards.

"As soon as we get out of the Crystal Empire with the Heart… then Sombra will take care of the Crystal Empire, and we will be one step closer to defeating Equestria…" the Shadow said.

He got into the room where the heart was stored and made a deformed rabbit to distract the guards while he grabbed it and whisked his way away.

They found Sombra on a rock overlooking the Empire and the Shadow said, "Now Sombra, crush the Crystal Empire once and for all…"

He turned into a giant black cloud and moved ever closer to the castle, consuming most of the land around the city before being stopped by a shield which Princess Cadence has conjured up in the nick of time.

"They'll be stuck there, and she will get weak, and eventually fall, time is all Sombra requires… now we must assure Chrysalis feeds enough to be able to defeat Princess Celestia once again…"

* * *

Fluttershy ran through town, trying to ask ponies if they had seen anything suspicious.

"Umm… excuse me," she tried to say but the pony kept walking, "Oh I'm sorry but have you seen…" yet that pony also kept walking "Oh, you haven't?"

This continued for a few minutes until she finally heard somepony say, "Hey you, Fluttershy… come here, I know what you're looking for…"

She looked around and couldn't find where the voice was from until it said, "In the alley…"

She slowly moved into the alley, following a hooded figure as it went deeper until it reached a dead end and it said, "So you are in love with Platinum Victory?"

"Oh, yes…"

"And is he with you?"

"He says he is…"

"Then you will do finely…" the figure said removing the cloak, revealing it was Queen Chrysalis.

Fluttershy tried to run but two changelings blocked the path and the Queen said, "Oh? Trying to leave so soon?"

"You… you're the one…"

"From the wedding in Canterlot? Yes I am… but this time, it's not Shining Armor I'm after…" she said taking the form of Fluttershy, "I'm after Platinum Victory…"

Fluttershy was horrified at the sight as the two changelings dragged her away and Chrysalis walked out into Ponyville with an evil grin on her face.

* * *

"I couldn't find anything!" Rainbowdash exclaimed.

"I would think Discord would turn it into a game like last time, and why isn't Equestria like it was last time he was out?" Twilight asked.

"Maybe because he learned from his mistakes…" Platinum said.

"If he had learned he would know not to mess with us again!" Rainbowdash said.

"Well, we still don't know if it actually is Discord or not…" Twilight added.

"Well the evidence is against him, and where are the other ponies?" Platinum asked.

"We're here…" Rarity said walking over with Pinkie, Fluttershy and Applejack.

"Let me guess… nothing?"

They nodded their heads no and Platinum stomped his hoof on the ground in anger. "Just great…"

Yet before Platinum could say anything else Spike came running over with a letter in his hand and was yelling, "Twilight! Twilight!"

"What is it Spike!? We're busy trying to figure out what happened to the Elements of Harmony!"

"I got a letter!"

She used her magic to lift it up and began reading it, "Dear Twilight Sparkle, the Crystal Empire is under attack by King Sombra once again… Your brother and Princess Cadence are doing their best to protect it, yet the Crystal Heart has gone missing, and the crystal ponies are losing hope. It likely won't be long before he breaks into the Crystal Empire. I require you to return and assist them in finding the heart, and defeating King Sombra once again… Sincerely, Princess Celestia…"

"Well that's just great! First Discord and now this!" Rainbowdash complained.

"It's mighty fishy that both these fellas came up together…" Applejack said.

"It is… Could they be working together?" Twilight asked.

"No… King Sombra is corrupted, I know how corrupted ponies work, and they work with no one… unless… Discord was also corrupted…" Platinum said.

"How could Discord be corrupted? I would think he would be a little too strong for that…"

"The same way Cloud Victory was corrupted most likely… he wanted to be…"

"Fluttershy… he was your friend, did you notice anything off about him?"

She stood there for a few seconds and then said, "Oh no… I noticed nothing wrong with him…"

"Well that doesn't change the fact that I think he did it… I'll find him, and take care of him…" Platinum said.

"We can't just abandon the Crystal Empire!" Twilight said.

"You six go to the Empire… after all it was thanks to all of you that he was stopped before… I'll find Discord…"

"No Platinum Victory!" Fluttershy suddenly yelled.

"I know he is your friend Fluttershy, but even you need to see the evidence is against him!"

"No! Please… give him a chance; I know there is something wrong…"

"Fluttershy… I love you, and I trust you… but sometimes you are the one that is wrong…"

She looked at her friends and asked, "Can you girls go? I need to talk to him privately… and please no spying…"

They walked off and when they were all out of sight Fluttershy turned to Platinum and her eyes were glowing green, "Oh… you won't be visiting Discord…"

Platinum instantly realized what was going on and tried to put on his power amulet to protect his mind from the intrusion, yet it was all too late. His eyes changed from the normal orange to a green and he simply stood there frozen.

Fluttershy took his power amulet and threw it into a bush before changing into her true form which was that of Queen Chrysalis.

"How simple… and pathetic… I thought Victory's were supposed to be strong…"

She looked to Platinum and said, "Oh don't worry sweetie… I'll be back for you soon enough, the Shadow has plans for you…"

She flew off in the direction of Canterlot with an army of Changelings behind her.

* * *

Princess Celestia sat upon her throne with her sister next to her and guards all around her as they normally did while waiting for a response from Twilight Sparkle.

"Princess! Princess! Canterlot is about to be attacked!" A royal guard yelled coming in.

Both Princesses stood up and followed him to the balcony where they saw a black cloud moving towards Canterlot, and it only took them a few seconds to realize they were Changelings.

Celestia doubted the remaining royal guards ability to defend against this threat, as most were fighting the war against Ozymandias and his armies.

"Sister, we must evacuate!" Luna said.

"I will not abandon my people… and neither shall you…"

She stared at her sister for a few moments until she said, "Very well…"

The city was swarmed and it didn't take long before the Changelings broke into the castle and the throne room.

Queen Chrysalis walked into the throne room which was devoid of guards and had only Celestia and Luna within it.

"Chrysalis…" Celestia said.

"No need to tell anypony who I am Celestia… they already know…" she replied.

Celestia and Luna both shot beams of magic at Chrysalis, who used her own and easily broke both of the Princesses beams.

"Oh please… I've fed off the most powerful love I have ever tasted…"

The two sisters tried again, yet the same thing happened.

"My turn now…"

Her horn charged up and a huge beam hit Celestia head on and sent her crashing back into her throne.

Luna flew into the air and tried to use more magic beams, yet they all kept being stopped by Chrysalis.

"I just defeated your sister who is stronger than you… and yet you still try… amusing…"

She blasted another beam at Luna who dodged before getting hit by a second one and fell to the ground beside her sister.

"Ahh… how simple…"

"Who… did you feed on?" Celestia barely managed to ask.

"Oh, somepony you know… and the only other pony who could have possibly posed a threat to me… Mr. Platinum Victory and his little friend Fluttershy… I assure he is quite frozen now, and he will not be coming to save the day…"

She let out a small giggle and said, "Equestria is collapsing… my children can feed, Discord gets his chaos, Sombra gets his crystals and the Shadow pleases his master… Oh and Celestia… your little friends heading towards the Crystal Empire… won't make it…"

Celestia looked up at her unsure of if this was something Equestria could survive.


	14. Chapter 14: Fallen Equestria

Discord looked over Canterlot which was in smoke and said, "I have fulfilled my part of the deal… now you are to fulfill yours."

"Of course Discord… young Fluttershy will be yours… my masters armies will arrive soon and they shall either corrupt or kill Platinum Victory…"

"Where is Fluttershy?"

"Ask Queen Chrysalis… she is the one who hid her away so she could manipulate Platinum Victory…"

The Shadow left Discord's body and floated off into the city while Discord went to find Queen Chrysalis who was in the castle throne room which had both the Princess hanging from the ceiling in actual chrysalises above her.

"Ahh Discord, the one behind our success… what is it you want?" she asked.

"Where did you put Fluttershy?"

"Oh her… I locked her in the basement of that dreadful place called Sugar Cube Corner in Ponyville…"

Discord instantly left after hearing where she was.

* * *

Fluttershy was afraid. She tried opening the door yet it was locked and she found no way out.

She sat in a corner imaging Platinum breaking through the door and rescuing her. Yet as time continued to pass it seemed more and more unlikely.

She wanted to believe Discord wasn't responsible for what was going on, yet the screams she could hear above her were making her lose that opinion.

Yet she heard the door break down and instantly stood up and said, "Platinum?"

Yet it was Discord that walked into the room which shocked Fluttershy for a few moments before she said, "Oh Discord! I knew the others were wrong about you!"

"You did? I mean of course! We have to leave… if we stay very horrid things will happen…"

"Won't the Princesses stop it?"

"No, they were defeated by Queen Chrysalis. We have to escape Equestria…"

"We have to find Platinum then! He can stop this!"

"We have no time, and there is no way he could stop this!"

"I won't do anything without him!"

"We can't get him!"

"Why not?"

"Because he's dead already!"

Fluttershy froze upon hearing this and then said, "What… how can he be…"

"I saw it with my own eyes, he was battling the Shadow and he was beaten…"

Her eyes filled with tears and she said, "No… he couldn't be…"

"I'm so sorry… but he is…"

She hugged him and began bawling.

"Come Fluttershy, we have to leave…"

She followed him out as they flew away from Ponyville which was under attack by an army of Changelings.

She took a quick look back at the town she had spent a large portion of her life in as she abandoned it and the memory of the one she loved.

She turned away and continued following Discord for around an hour until a black mist floated in front of them and they both stopped.

"Discord… I'm disappointed in you…" a voice said.

"What are you?" he demanded.

"Oh you know who I am… Stop playing dumb for little Fluttershy here…"

"D…Discord? What's going on?"

"Oh, so you haven't told her yet?"

"Haven't told me what?"

"Discord is responsible for all of this… without him none of my plans would have succeeded…"

"Plans?"

"She has heard enough of your lying!" Discord said.

"Oh no… she hasn't…"

"Who… what are you?"

"You don't recognize me? I am the Shadow… the one who possessed Platinum Victory to nearly destroy Ponyville…"

"You…"

"And Discord here helped me bring Equestria to the ground…"

"You're lying!"

"Am I sweet heart?"

She looked to Discord and asked, "Is it… true?"

"Yes… it is…"

She flew back a few feet in fear and said, "Why…?"

"I did it for you…"

"You… really think I would want this? You caused the stallion I loved to die…"

"He isn't dead… it was a lie… so that you would come with me…"

"Platinum was right… you haven't changed…" she said flying back towards Ponyville.

Discord watched as she flew away and he turned to the Shadow and yelled, "You told me she would be mine! Yet you ruin it!"

"I saved your miserable life Discord!" it replied.

"Oh really? And how was I in danger of losing it?"

"You are connected with the God of Darkness now… he can end your life with a simple thought… and you were trying to abandon your duty in serving him by running… if I hadn't stopped you… you would be dead…"

"I have done what I was supposed to do!"

"Not yet! There is one thing left… I told you that we must either convert or kill Platinum Victory… we have not done so yet…"

"Yet you have already ruined your end of the deal…"

"You have by trying to take it too soon, and just because it is broken doesn't mean you are exempt from your duties and if you fail in them the great one shall end you…"

"And he wouldn't end you?"

"He wouldn't… he gives his more significant servants three chances and the ones that his servants gather as allies have one… I failed only once, so failing here would make two… yet if you do as you are commanded then my master will reward you with whatever you desire… and me with my physical form once again…"

Discord got onto his knees and said, "I will do… as he commands…"

"Good… don't let yourself sway ever again…"

* * *

Fluttershy searched through Ponyville until she found her friends hiding out in the library.

"Fluttershy what are you doing out there?! Get inside!" Twilight said.

She hurried inside and they locked the door behind her.

"Have you ponies seen Platinum?" Fluttershy asked.

The five looked at each other worriedly and Twilight said, "Yes… we found him…"

"Oh thank Celestia, where is he?"

"When we found him he was… frozen stiff… his eyes were green and no matter what we did he just stood there."

"Where is he now?"

"We dragged him here, he's upstairs…"

She went up the stairs and saw Platinum standing like a statue, staring at the wall with strange bright green eyes instead of the normal orange.

She tried talking to him, but got no response. She tried moving him around yet nothing was working.

She began losing hope. Would he be stuck like this forever?

She walked back down to Twilight who said, "We don't even know what happened to him… what happened while you were talking with him?"

"I wasn't talking with him…"

"Umm… yes you were… we saw you…"

"No… it wasn't me… Do you remember the Queen from your brother's wedding? She got ahold of me and replaced me… Since you know what happened, can you fix it?"

"No… I don't think I can… but his power amulet is supposed to help him keep control of his own mind… If we can find it maybe since the Queen is controlling him it can take control back…"

"Wouldn't he have it with him?"

"We didn't find anything with him…"

"Well Twilight, wouldn't he just leave it in his house?" Rarity asked.

"Well… it would make sense…"

"Then what are we waiting for?"

"Well we can't really go… Changelings are everywhere…"

"Then what are we supposed to do? If Platinum is frozen, the Crystal Empire under attack, and the fact that Canterlot is under attack and we have no word from Celestia something is bound to happen eventually!"

"Then what do you suggest?"

"I… I honestly do not know…"

"Great! So Equestria is under attack and no pony can do anything about it!" Rainbowdash complained.

"What do you think we can do?"

"Oh umm excuse me…" Fluttershy tried saying.

"We have to go out there and make something happen! We've saved Equestria before! We don't need to hide behind Platinum!"

"Yet when we did we had the Elements of Harmony with us!"

"Excuse me…" Fluttershy tried to say.

"We have to do something!"

"What can we do? We aren't fighters!"

"Excuse me…"

"Twilight! Rainbowdash! Can't you see Fluttershy is trying to say something?" Rarity exclaimed.

The others looked at her and she started "Oh… umm… thank you Rarity… Once Platinum showed me a wall which has all of his families power amulets on it, and he typically puts his on it to when he isn't using it…"

"Why didn't you tell us this earlier Fluttershy?"

"Well I was trying to…" but when she said that Twilight was already making a plan with the other five.

"Alright, if we can reach town square, then we will have a clear run for his house. If we can get in and find his power amulet then we might be able to bring him back."

All of them followed Twilight out of the library and towards Platinum's house.

* * *

Discord watched over Canterlot. His new master's army was only two weeks away, and when it arrived they would get rid of Chrysalis and Sombra. Sombra was far too rebellious to handle, and Queen Chrysalis was far too powerful to be left alive. Discord was too, yet he had become completely corrupted by the darkness, and since he was connected to his master, he could be ended with a mere thought if need be.

"We must go Discord…" the Shadow said.

"Go where? We have already done everything…"

"Not one… you forget again that we must still either convert or kill Platinum Victory."

"Chrysalis likely left him in Ponyville…"

"Then that is where we are going…" the Shadow said going into Discord's head.

Discord began his flight towards Ponyville.

* * *

"It's not here! All the others are here but his isn't!" Twilight exclaimed.

"I… I don't know what he did with it…" Fluttershy whined.

Twilight began going over every single one all over again.

"This is hopeless! We'll never find it!" Rainbowdash said.

"Never lose hope girls. Together there is nothing we can't accomplish, we learned this so long ago, don't forget it!"

"Then if we can do anything together let's stop Discord together!"

"But we need…"

"So we can accomplish anything together, as long as we have the Elements of Harmony?"

"I… yes…"

"So that's just great isn't it? You're the Princess here! Aren't you supposed to have some amazing idea?"

"I don't…"

They all looked hopelessly at each other until Fluttershy asked, "Where did you find him?"

"Find him?"

"Where did you find Platinum?"

"Next to Sugar Cube Corner… what does that have anything to do with what is going on?"

"He might have dropped it nearby. It's worth a try to find it…"

"That is where almost all the Changelings are though!"

"Well we can't just sit here!" Rainbowdash said.

"It will probably be another wasted trip just like this one! Think logically, what are the chances of Platinum Victory just dropping his power amulet for no reason?"

"Where else could it be?"

"Maybe they took it like they took the Elements!"

"Then we really are in a hole aren't we? Let's just give it a shot, who knows?"

All five of them were looking at Twilight and waiting for her answer, yet she didn't know what to do. It was too risky to go to Sugar Cube Corner. Yet if it was there then Platinum would be stuck how he was forever and Equestria was doomed.

"Alright… let's go girls…"

They nodded their heads and followed Twilight out of Platinum's house and towards Sugar Cube Corner.

* * *

Discord reached Ponyville and where Chrysalis had said she left Platinum Victory. He floated above Sugar Cube Corner yet saw no sign of Platinum Victory.

"She said that Platinum Victory was here, yet I do not see him…" he said.

"Then search for him. If we cannot find him who knows what he might be able to do?" the Shadow replied.

Discord looked around the surrounded area until he heard a familiar voice.

"Come on girls! We're almost there!" it said.

He instantly recognized it as Twilight Sparkle and the Shadow said, "Ahh… the only Princess of Equestria that we haven't subdued yet… And maybe… just maybe… she knows where he is… Hide until they are vulnerable."

Discord flew to the top of Sugar Cube Corner and watched as the six searched around the outside of Sugar Cube Corner, trying their best to avoid the Changelings in the process.

"I can't find it!" Rainbowdash exclaimed.

"Me neither!" Twilight replied.

They all kept searching until Twilight noticed a shining object inside a bush. She pulled Platinum's power amulet out of it and said, "Girls I have it!"

They all began running back to the library and the Shadow told Discord, "They must be trying to take him out of the spell Chrysalis put him under! You must stop them Discord! This could be our one chance to capture Platinum Victory!"

Discord began chasing them and quickly catching up to them.

"Discord is right behind us!" Twilight yelled to the others.

"We can't outrun him!"

"Rainbowdash, you're fastest! You take it!" She threw the amulet to her and she began flying towards the library, yet only a few seconds in she was intercepted by two Changelings and she dropped it. Yet Applejack caught it and tried to continue running before also getting intercepted by Changelings.

Applejack threw it to Pinkie who like the first two got intercepted. Rarity grabbed it and threw it to Fluttershy right before she got taken down. Fluttershy instantly got hit and it slid right in front of Twilight who used her magic to pick it up.

She looked around and was completely encircled, her friends pinned to the ground by Changelings, and Discord overhead.

"You have lost Twilight Sparkle…" the Shadow said.

"No…"

She looked up at Discord and said, "Why are you doing this? I thought you changed… Fluttershy seemed so sure…"

He said nothing and instead the Shadow said, "Surrender Twilight, and it will be painless…"

She looked at her friends and back at Discord in fear. Yet she saw an object flying behind Discord. She focused in on it and recognized it as her pet Owlowiscious. It flew to her and she gave it the power amulet and said, "Bring it to Platinum at the library and don't stop for anything!"

It grabbed it and began flying off.

"Stop that pest!" the Shadow yelled.

Dozens of Changelings began chasing the owl, yet it used its small size to avoid them as it got closer to the library.

"You… Twilight Sparkle… have chosen very wrongly…"

* * *

Owlowiscious sped through Ponyville as fast as it could, using its smaller size and eyesight to avoid Changelings that were trying to stop it.

It saw its goal was very close, and sped towards it with dozens of Changelings in pursuit. It went into the library through an open window and the Changelings weren't able to get in due to the size of the window.

They began bashing on the door and Owlowiscious flew to Platinum who was still frozen in place and brought the power amulet to him.

Just as it got near Platinum the Changelings bashed through the door and began going straight for Owlowiscious.

The owl flew over Platinum's head and looked at the amulet and tried to undo the clasp. "Ponies and how they make everything difficult" it thought.

It tried to fly around while using its feet to undo the clasp while the Changelings chased it. It finally got the clasp undone and flew to Platinum, putting it on his neck and redoing the clasp before getting pulled off by a Changeling.

Another Changeling tried to quickly take off the power amulet, yet before it could it began glowing, and the green in Platinum's eyes faded away and his normal orange eyes returned and he quickly realized what was happening.

He kicked the Changeling trying to remove his power amulet in the face and slammed into the one that was holding down Owlowiscious.

The rest of the Changelings quickly fled and Platinum held up the owl and asked, "Where are the others?"

It turned its head towards the town and Platinum then asked, "Do the Changelings have them?"

It nodded yes.

"All of them…?"

It nodded again and Platinum got a worried look on his face.

"So… Equestria is controlled by Discord, Changelings, and all this…"

The owl nodded again.

"Alright little guy, I'm leaving Equestria."

It had a shocked look in its eyes yet Platinum continued and said, "I'm going to gather the royal guard that is currently fighting the griffons and I'll bring them here and they can fight the Changelings, I'll rescue the six, and I'll stop Discord… You just hide out here..."


	15. Chapter 15: Beacon of Hope

Celestia was trapped inside a chrysalis in Canterlot castle, and there was nothing she could do about it. She kept staring at the door to the throne room waiting for somepony like Platinum or Twilight to somehow save the day.

And one of those ponies went in the door. She saw Twilight Sparkle enter the throne room, yet she wasn't on her own will. She had been dragged in by Changelings, and her friends were dragged in behind her.

She watched in horror as they were all put in chrysalises and hung from the ceiling. She shut her eyes feeling no hope was left for Equestria.

* * *

Platinum walked through empty fields. He had left Equestria and went to find the army fighting the griffons. He had asked locals and learned they were not far from where he was. They were besieging the last remnants of the griffon army, which was held up in a fortress.

He found the camp and flew in, yet as soon as he landed a group of guards surrounded him and one barked at him, "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

"I am Platinum Victory…"

"Platinum Victory? Sure you are. I'm King Ozymandias," He joked.

His power amulet began glowing and he said, "Yes… I am…"

"Bu… but what are you doing here?" one said, obviously struck by fear.

"I need to speak to your general…"

"We… don't have a general…"

"You don't have a general? Who is leading you?"

"Shining Armor was. He was sending messages to us on our orders. Yet he stopped sending messages a while ago, so we're sitting here until he sends more orders."

"He won't be sending you orders…"

"Why not?"

"Because Equestria is under attack."

"Under attack? Griffon counterattack?"

"No, Changelings, King Sombra, and Discord."

"Well I'm sure Celestia can handle them, and you too."

"Celestia is compromised, and I can't fight them alone."

"So you think you can just walk in here and tell the army to return to Equestria when we got the griffons on the ropes?"

"Yes. I do. Your homes burn, your wives and foals used as slaves, and soon to be massacred when the army of shadow ponies arrive."

"Shadow ponies? Why would they…"

"The three attacking Equestria are corrupted. Soon they will give control of Equestria to the Shadow Empire, and I need an army behind my back to stop that."

"We need orders from Shining Armor first…"

"Do you understand me? Shining Armor and Princess Cadence are trapped in the Crystal Castle, which is soon to be overrun, and in only a few weeks the Shadow Empire will kill everypony…"

"We need orders…"

"Then listen to my orders! You all have to go to Equestria, or we will lose our homeland!"

"How do we know this isn't a joke?"

"Why would I joke about something like this?"

"Alright… let's gather everypony, and we sail west to Equestria…"

* * *

"You have very well Discord…" the Shadow said, "My master will reward you…"

"With what?" Discord asked.

"Whatever you wish…"

"I wish to repair broken bonds…"

"He can do that… he can manipulate her mind and she will do whatever you want her to do…"

"I want it to be done on her own free will…"

"He cannot do such a thing."

"Then there is nothing I want…"

"Serving him is a reward its own ehh? I think the same thing, however the thing I want more than that is for me to have my body again…"

"Yes yes yes… you do not need to start that again."

"Believe me, when I have my physical form again… all ponies shall fear simply a moment's glance at me… although it is not like they would live long enough to have a longer one…"

A Changeling flew over to Discord and said, "Ehh… Platinum Victory… escaped…"

"He escaped? How could you let such a thing happen! You fool! Do you know how much more difficult our job is now?" the Shadow barked.

"Forgive me… he was too fast…"

The Shadow took control of Discord's body in rage and had him rip the Changeling to pieces.

"We must find him Discord!"

"Why should we?"

"You must fulfill your duty!"

"He will come to us… we have control of what he holds dear… he won't allow us to keep it…"

"You… are correct… we shall wait for him… and we shall have a plan to subdue him…"

* * *

Platinum flew for Unicorn Range, where the army and the remaining Royal Guard were gathering.

The one from earlier stood next to him and Platinum said, "Only two thousand… not nearly enough to retake Canterlot…" Platinum said.

"These are the only professional soldiers we could gather sir…"

"Then gather militia too. We need all the troops we can get, trained or not…"

"They will be nothing but fodder."

"Either way… they will be of use…"

"Very well... I shall send messengers to gather every able bodied stallion to come and join our ranks…"

He flew off and Platinum sat on the cliff side overlooking the camp. He flew up to a cloud and rest upon it, staring off at Canterlot knowing the mare he loved, and his friends were being held there.

He could feel Fluttershy's emotions like they were his own. She was afraid, in doubt, and horribly saddened by to Discord's betrayal.

All this was washing onto Platinum and it was affecting him greatly. He began feeling in doubt, and afraid. The sadness was covered up by his own rage however and he pushed the feelings of doubt to the side and replaced it with determination. He had found fear to be the easiest to cover up as Platinum knew that nothing could stand in his way as he tried to save his friends and his love.

* * *

Fluttershy waited in the chrysalis. She stared at the door and the windows, waiting for Platinum to fly in and save them all.

She tried to stay calm and relaxed to help Platinum stay calm and relaxed if he was trying to save them, yet she couldn't. She was heartbroken Discord would betray her trust and end their friendship. He said it was for her, and that is what hurt her the most. She thought it was her own fault Discord was doing this.

Discord entered the throne room and flew over to Fluttershy's chrysalis.

"I need to know something… why would you refuse to be with me when you thought Platinum Victory was dead?" he asked.

"You… are evil… I couldn't do that…"

"What if Platinum Victory was corrupted? Would you still be with him?"

Fluttershy's tongue was frozen. She didn't know what to think. If that happened then what would she do?

"I… I wouldn't be with him…" she finally managed to say.

"And that's the truth?"

Fluttershy didn't know if that was the truth or not. Her mind wavered on the question.

"Alright then…" Discord finally said after Fluttershy took too long to answer.

He left the throne room and Fluttershy closed her eyes halfway and began crying.

* * *

Platinum looked over the quickly growing camp. What had once been only just two thousand had become nearly twenty thousand in only a few days.

"Most of them will die," the guard next to him said.

"Unfortunately, you are right… but this is for the good of Equestria, and that is perhaps one of the most important things to me…" Platinum replied.

It was true, it was behind nothing but keeping Fluttershy safe and he had to save Equestria to save Fluttershy.

"Sir, two earth ponies request an audience with you. They call themselves Golden Life and Black Star."

"Very well…"

The guard walked off and the two walked up to Platinum and Gold said, "So you got yourself an army… You gonna raid the local pubs for some drinks and mares?"

"Please be serious…" Platinum said.

"Hey, just trying to lighten the mood a little bit. Don't be so down to earth all the time…"

"Don't you see what is happening? Equestria is occupied by foreign invaders and I'm trying to stop them."

"We know that," Black Star said, "but are you sure you can pull it off? You're no commander."

"You're right. But I have to do this."

"To impress that mare? Why would you need to impress anypony?"

"To save her, and her friends. They've all been captured…"

"So you're just doing this to get her back and not to save Equestria…"

"I'm a Victory… everything I do is for Equestria…"

All three of them knew it was a lie, but none of them brought it up.

"So how are you planning to do this?"

"Three groups. The first two will go for the Crystal Empire and Cloudsdale, the third will strike Canterlot."

"Seems too simple… wouldn't they suspect something?"

"Possibly. Yet they can't plan for me…"

"If you say so…"

He thought for a few seconds before saying, "You two coming here is actually quite convenient… I need commanders to help me lead this…"

"And you would pick us over ponies who actually are trained in combat leadership?"

"I know you two are smart. You don't act it, yet you have proven it multiple times. You can pull it off.

"Explain to me then, how are we supposed to get into Cloudsdale? Let me remind you that we're both earth ponies…"

"I know. Gold, you will strike the Crystal Empire. Star, you'll take Canterlot. I will be the one pony going for Cloudsdale…"

"You really think I can fight the monsters in Canterlot?" Star asked.

"No… they're after me. When they hear I am at Cloudsdale they will rush after it, leaving you able to attack Canterlot and save Princess Celestia and everypony else…"

"And you sure it will work?"

"Positive…"

* * *

The plan was put into motion. The twenty thousand soldiers split into three groups. Two groups had only 2500, while the third had 15000.

Platinum gathered his army right below Cloudsdale and attacked from below. The Changelings were unorganized and their only leader was in Canterlot.

The Changelings tried to fight yet their number was too few and they began trying to escape.

Platinum ordered his troops to let them escape so they could spread word to leadership and a large force would be taken from Canterlot.

A messenger arrived a few days later informing Platinum that the Crystal Empire was now under control and both Princess Cadence and Shining Armor were no longer trapped within the Crystal Castle.

They had demanded to meet with him yet he said he was waiting for a counterattack and had no time to meet with them, which was the truth.

He sat at the edge of Cloudsdale and waited.

* * *

"My lord…" a Changeling said to Discord, "I bring news…"

"And what news is this?" the Shadow said floating in.

"Platinum Victory… and an army of ponies have attacked Cloudsdale, and a second army has taken the Crystal Empire…"

"Then we go to Cloudsdale and capture Platinum Victory…" Discord said.

"No… it is a trap," the Shadow replied.

"How would you know?"

"Platinum Victory is driven by his will… and he is very impatient… if we wait, he will come to us…"

"How do you know he even plans it?" Queen Chrysalis asked walking over.

"We hold the thing he cares for the most… Changeling… how many soldiers attacked Cloudsdale and the Crystal Empire?"

"Together it is around 5000…"

"Their numbers are far too low to take Canterlot… Yet Platinum is arrogant and will try to anyways…"

"And how would you know he will?"

"I know him better than you think… I was in his head for a time after all…"

"Of course… you were… Very well, we shall wait," Chrysalis said.

* * *

It had been three days and Platinum's scouts had reported no movement outside of Canterlot. He had decided to gather the leaders together and discuss the next move.

"Alright everypony, their counterattack isn't coming… At least not any time soon…" Platinum said.

"Don't be so sure. They might be waiting for us to get out of position. They probably have spies in our army. You know, they are Changelings after all…" Star said.

"We should take the rest of Equestria back. They are stuck in Canterlot, and won't be able to stop us from taking our country back," Gold added.

"We can take Canterlot. We have the numbers," Platinum said.

"I don't think it's a good idea. I have to agree with Golden Life. Taking back the rest of our country could provide us with even more soldiers from those we can rescue, and we need the land back for the supplies," Shining Armor said.

"So we wait and let the shadow pony army get closer? If we can't take Canterlot back, Equestria will be shrouded in darkness before we know it!"

"How can you know that they are even coming?"

"Discord is corrupted… the Shadow is among the enemies leaders. Of course an army of shadow ponies is coming. If we don't strike them down now, then we will be stuck between Changelings, and shadow ponies…"

They all looked at each other nervously before looking back at Platinum and Gold said, "If they really are coming, then why not fortify against them and then strike Canterlot after we drive them off?"

"Shadow ponies react to beacons. The Shadow has made Discord that beacon. If we take out Discord, the shadow ponies will turn back…"

They continue to look at Platinum nervously before Shining Armor said, "I'll gather the troops…"

* * *

Everypony had been gathered, and command had been distributed. Platinum would lead the pegasi into Canterlot from above. Shining Armor would lead the unicorns, and Golden Life and Black Star would together lead the earth ponies.

It wasn't the best command structure, but it had to work.

Before they went into position they were gathered together and Gold walked up to Platinum and said, "You're responsible for this…"

"Responsible for what?"

"For leading this band of misfits… You're just going to lead them into battle silently?"

"I'm no good with speeches…"

"We'll you better improvise… the soldiers are waiting…" he said walking off.

Platinum flew in front of the army and had a unicorn walk over to him to make a spell so he could project his voice so that everypony could hear.

He took a deep breath and began his speech, "Well everypony, I'm not a stallion of words, I'm a stallion of actions, and so should all of you. Look to the pony standing next to you. Trust him, fight with him, don't let him die, and then he will do the same for you…"

He looked behind him at Canterlot and then back at the army and continued, "Look at the city of Canterlot. Once a vibrant and white city, it's now ruins. Ponies made their homes there, and I intend to give those homes back. If we fail today we won't have to live under Changelings, but under shadow ponies…"

Murmurs went throughout the army and Platinum could sense the fear they all held for shadow ponies.

"But we can stop those monsters from ever reaching Equestria… we kill one group of monsters to beat two. Strike the Changelings down with all your might! Fight not for yourself, but for all Equestria! Give your life for its future if you must! If it takes my dying breath, I will do everything I can to kill these bastards!"

Everypony began beating their chest and Platinum continued, "Your wives, children, friends, and family have fallen victim to this fight. You might have lost everything, you might be fighting simply to get your name written down in history… over a thousand years ago we were ruled by shadow ponies, and I will tell the truth it was much worse… and over these past thousand years we have been attacked numerous times. Well today I stand and say no more! Today we all stand as brothers! Today we fight together! Today we show these blights upon Equestria what it's like to have fear driven into their hearts!"

The army began cheering and Platinum yelled, "Pegasus! To the skies!"

They all began flying as fast as they could towards Canterlot.

"Unicorns, march!" Shining Armor yelled.

"Earth ponies, forward!" Black Star yelled.

The army moved quickly towards Canterlot.


End file.
